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The French Connection|Fernando Rey

The French Connection

Fernando Rey and Gene Hackman
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Overview

Released in the same year as Clint Eastwood's DIRTY HARRY (1971), William Friedkin's THE FRENCH CONNECTION marked the beginning of a new era of gritty, urban police dramas. Here, the theme of tough-cop amorality serves a conservative demand for a police-state crackdown on the domestic chaos and subversive youth culture of the Vietnam War period. The film is based on the true story of two New York City police detectives and their investigation into a French heroin smuggling operation. THE FRENCH CONNECTION is perhaps best known for its infamous, masterfully filmed chase scene (influenced by Peter Yates' BULLITT) in which the lead policeman, Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman), recklessly drives a stolen car through oncoming traffic in pursuit of a sniper escaping by elevated train. The thrill of this crime drama is accentuated by director William Friedkin's early European influences, perhaps best represented by the handheld documentary-style visuals and Friedkin's claims that the Oscar-winning screenplay was frequently disregarded in favor of improvisation. THE FRENCH CONNECTION marked not only a significant change of course for his career, but also a stylistic shift that all of Hollywood would soon follow.

Awards:
1971 - Academy Awards - Best Picture - Winner
1971 - Academy Awards - Best Actor - Winner
1971 - Academy Awards - Best Director - Winner
1971 - Academy Awards - Best Film Editing - Winner
1971 - Academy Awards - Best Adapted Screenplay - Winner

Main Cast & Crew:
William Friedkin - Director
Fernando Rey
Gene Hackman
Marcel Bozzuffi
Roy Scheider
Tony Lo Bianco
Al Fann
Alan Weeks
Andre Emotte
Ann Rebbot
Arlene Faber

Details

    Blu-Ray Disc Format
  • Format: Blu-ray (Dolby, Digital Theater System, AC-3, Widescreen)
  • Run Time: 104
  • Color Format: Color
  • UPC: 024543793144
  • Genre: DRAMA
  • Rating: R (MPAA) ((Restricted Under 17))
  • Release Date: March 2012

Movie Reviews

Notes:
Theatrical release: October 9, 1971 Based on events that occurred in 1961. Shot almost entirely on location in New York City, and briefly in Marseilles, France. THE FRENCH CONNECTION is number 70 on the American Film Institute's list of America's 100 Greatest Movies. People were allegedly injured during the filming of the famous chase scene. Friedkin is rumored to have shot parts of the chase scene himself.

Reviews:
"...A best-picture Oscar that really holds up..." - 09/28/2001 USA Today, p.5E


"...To watch it now is to appreciate more than ever Gene Hackman's uncompromising talent..." - 09/28/2001 Entertainment Weekly, p.56


"William Friedkin brings a new documentary-style grittiness and moral ambiguity to the crime thriller." - 12/01/2003 Premiere, p.11


"[With] the Greatest Car Chase Ever Filmed." - 04/01/2004 Total Film, p.136


4 stars out of 5 -- "It's one of the most influential and exciting crime movies...[with] a level of grit and realism that is almost impossible to duplicate." - 02/23/2009 Premiere


"THE FRENCH CONNECTION offered a rush of sights and sounds, sweeping the viewer along in a visceral experience." - 10/22/2010 New York Times


"[W]ith an all-time cool car chase through Brooklyn, William Friedkin's fast-paced cop thriller is the epitome of the genre." - 04/08/2021 USA Today

BAM Customer Reviews