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The French Connection (1971) 7.8
Ratings:
7.8/10 from 75,177 users
Metascore: 96/100
Reviews: 273 user | 130 critic | 4 from Metacritic.com A pair of NYC cops in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection. Director:William Friedkin |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Gene Hackman | ... | ||
| Fernando Rey | ... | ||
| Roy Scheider | ... | ||
| Tony Lo Bianco | ... | ||
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Marcel Bozzuffi | ... | |
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Frédéric de Pasquale | ... |
Devereaux
(as Frederic De Pasquale)
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| Bill Hickman | ... | ||
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Ann Rebbot | ... |
Marie Charnier
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Harold Gary | ... |
Weinstock
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Arlene Farber | ... |
Angie Boca
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Eddie Egan | ... | |
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André Ernotte | ... |
La Valle
(as Andre Ernotte)
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| Sonny Grosso | ... |
Klein
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Benny Marino | ... |
Lou Boca
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Patrick McDermott | ... |
Chemist
(as Pat McDermott)
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
William Friedkin's gritty police drama portrays two tough New York City cops trying to intercept a huge heroin shipment coming from France. An interesting contrast is established between 'Popeye' Doyle, a short-tempered alcoholic bigot who is nevertheless a hard-working and dedicated police officer, and his nemesis Alain Charnier, a suave and urbane gentleman who is nevertheless a criminal and one of the largest drug suppliers of pure heroin to North America. During the surveillance and eventual bust, Friedkin provides one of the most gripping and memorable car chase sequences ever filmed. Written by Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>
Taglines:
Doyle is bad news - but a good cop. See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
9 October 1971 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Doyle See more »Box Office
Budget:
$1,800,000 (estimated)Gross:
SEK 1,836,397 (Sweden)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle: Merry Christmas. What's your name, little boy?
Little Boy: Eric.
Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle: Uh-huh, Eric. What do you want for Christmas Eric? Hmmm?
See more »
(uncredited)
Music by Lionel Newman
[Played on piano at the restaurant where Charnier and Nicoli dine]
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Steve McQueen was offered the chance to star in this film. Having already played a cop in Bullitt (1968), he did not want to act in any more cop roles, and turned down the offer. See more »Goofs
During the chase scene, several shots of Popeye's feet are shown, stepping on brake, accelerator, and clutch, but shots of him through the windshield show him driving an automatic (he never shifts gears except after he runs into a wall, and then only into and out of reverse). See more »Quotes
[first lines]Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle: Merry Christmas. What's your name, little boy?
Little Boy: Eric.
Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle: Uh-huh, Eric. What do you want for Christmas Eric? Hmmm?
See more »
Soundtracks
Again(uncredited)
Music by Lionel Newman
[Played on piano at the restaurant where Charnier and Nicoli dine]
See more »
I just bought "The French Connection" DVD-box (must for anybody who appreciates fascinating old thriller classics) and I have to admit that even though I've seen this terrific film couple of times some years ago now I finally realized how stylish, impressive, brilliant and powerful movie it actually is. However personally I think that year Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece "A Clockwork Orange" would have been a slightly better choice for the best picture Oscar but I guess in the end it was way too dubious at the time to win it.
If "The French Connection" was released today, nobody would be interested in it. In the early seventies this was something totally unique, nowadays this is of course a huge classic that shaped the form of all the upcoming cop thrillers but nothing we haven't seen before. Actually that's the biggest problem of the modern cinema, we've seen it all - there's nothing new filmmakers can offer us.
If you have your doubts about this film you just have to be patient and wait a while. Gene Hackman is having one of the finest performances of his career as Popey Doyle but the film starts out like just a thriller among others. The second half of "The French Connection" reveals why this movie has earned its numerous awards and reputation as one of the greatest cop flicks of the 1970's. Over 30 years later those chase scenes are still pure dynamite.