The French Connection

Starring: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco, Macel Bozzuffi
Directed by: William Friedkin
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Thriller, Drama
Box Office: $
1971

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two police officers (Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider) try to stop a massive load of heroin from being smuggled into the United States by any means necessary.

Review:
Tim: There are many reasons to watch this movie, but most importantly, because it is very, very good. It stands as a landmark film of the 1970s. It tells a simple story- two hardnosed cops are out to stop a shipment from being smuggled into the country. This is told boldly, in a gritty, and unflinching manner.

The French Connection is best known for its renowned car chase, often regarded as one of the best in movie history. The scene only involves one car, and is jaw-dropping to see. I'd recommend doing some research on it, because the backstory is fascinating (Hackmand did a great deal of the driving, some of the collisions were accidental and left in the film, etc.) The chase scene is just amazing.

The cast is top-notch. Gene Hackman gives a tour-de-force performance as "Popeye" Doyle. He has a terrific partner in Roy Scheider. These two men put on a heck of a good show, and work very well together. This is a hard movie, and these two men embody the gritty nature of the film.

The French Connection was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, winning five. Gene Hackman was awarded Best Actor, William Friedkin Best Director, and the film also won for Best Picture. There are so many reasons to see this movie, and any one of them should be more than enough to convince you.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The French Connection II, The Exorcist