The French Connection was one of the first movies to really hook moviegoers into Hollywood's war on drugs, introducing the look and feel of a law enforcement film that wasn't trying to make it glamorous or dramatic. This film was a major turning point in cinema, the New Hollywood answer to the film noir genre and it brought an intense sense of realism that many other cop movies have since lacked.
The Story
French Connection is based on the 1969 real-life incident where two New York detectives exposed a smuggling network that was bringing heroin from France into the United States. It was directed by William Friedkin and starred Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider as the lead detectives.
It was a huge hit and won five Oscars, including Best Picture. It was a classic and a must see for any movie fan and even today, 30 years later, it is still considered one of the best movies ever made.
A New York City Police Detective and His Wife Are Hunting International Drug Dealers in 1971
The French Connection is a hard-boiled crime thriller set in New York that centers on two narcotics detectives who work undercover to catch international drug dealers. It also features a series of tense and exciting action scenes, including one of the most famous car chases in movie history.
Director Friedkin (whose career The french connection the higher the better had already taken off two years prior to directing "The Exorcist") is a master of using camera placement and timing to keep an audience on the edge of their seats, and the famous subway/car chase scene in particular is an outstanding example of this skill.
This is a very slow moving movie by modern standards, but the excellent performances and great story mean it stands the test of time well.
It was one of the first films to really get at the gritty reality of New York City, which is often overlooked by more modern crime thrillers. The film is a true testament to the hard work of the New York City police department and it is definitely worth watching.
Some of the best acting is done by Gene Hackman who plays a tough but mild mannered detective who is obsessed with stopping drug smuggling in New York. Fernando Rey and Tony LoBianco also deliver strong performances as the drug ring leaders.
The French Connection was one of the most acclaimed films of its time and it won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It is now considered a classic and is a must see for anyone who loves a good crime thriller.
There are several excellent extras included in this disc, including a retrospective interview with Hackman about his portrayal of Doyle, and an in-depth documentary on the real life French Connection. There are also a number of archived interviews with Eddie Eagan and Sonny Grosso, as well as some behind the scenes footage.
I love how this movie has survived the test of time and still holds up today, it's just amazing how much it changed the way we think about law enforcement on screen. It's a classic and a must see for anyone who loves gangster movies, or just wants to watch an old school film.
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