The French Connection
Gene Hackman plays the role of hardball New York cop Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle along with Roy Scheider as Russo. As a pair of NYC cops in the Narcotics Bureau they stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection . . .
Directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist) and based on a book by Robin Moore, the French Connection’s blend of realism with dramatic licence still works well, especially with Friedkin's hand-held documentary style of filming making which was the perfect for the vision.
The high point of The French Connection remains its car chase, arguably one of the best sequences ever. Doyle pursues an elevated subway train carriage containing French smuggler Nicoli (Marcel Bozzufi). Friedkin’s uninterrupted shot of the entire chase captured Popeye's point of view and is still thrilling to watch.
There’s something about the way Gene Hackman plays Popeye that elevates him and this film above other police-based dramas. This still feels quite edgy which can be difficult sometimes particularly with its use of language . . . but, it still feels rather relevant.
The film is available on DVD & Blu Ray as well as various streaming platforms.
