X
- 1971
- R
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
- 1 h 44 m
- 1971
- R
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
- 1 h 44 m
Summary New York narcotics officer "Popeye" Doyle and his partner take on an international drug ring shipping heroin into the United States.
Directed By: William Friedkin
Written By: Ernest Tidyman, Robin Moore, William Friedkin
- 1971
- R
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
- 1 h 44 m
- 1971
- R
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
- 1 h 44 m
The French Connection
8.0
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Summary New York narcotics officer "Popeye" Doyle and his partner take on an international drug ring shipping heroin into the United States.
Directed By: William Friedkin
Written By: Ernest Tidyman, Robin Moore, William Friedkin
Where to Watch
Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 18 Critic Reviews
94
94% Positive
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
6% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 18 Critic Reviews
94
94% Positive
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
6% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The chase influenced a generation of filmmakers, and Hackman's Popeye Doyle put an indelible stamp on the archetypal burned-out cop who was to become such a ubiquitous presence in movies. [12 March 1999, p.16]
The French Connection is routinely included, along with "Bullitt," "Diva" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark," on the short list of movies with the greatest chase scenes of all time. What is not always remembered is what a good movie it is apart from the chase scene.
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 218 User Ratings
8.0
84% Positive
184 Ratings
184 Ratings
14% Mixed
30 Ratings
30 Ratings
2% Negative
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 218 User Ratings
8.0
84% Positive
184 Ratings
184 Ratings
14% Mixed
30 Ratings
30 Ratings
2% Negative
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
Oct 20, 2024
"The French Connection" is a tough, brilliant crime film features late great Gene Hackman as the indefatigable Popeye Doyle, who passionately hates drug pushers.
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There is only one problem with the excitement generated by this film. After it is over, you will walk out of the theater and, as I did, curse the tedium of your own life. I kept looking for someone who I could throw up against a wall. [8 November 1971]
I'd seen moments from that chase for years, held up as an example of what makes the film great. And it is a great sequence. But it's even better in context, arriving after many scenes of false starts, wrong turns, and frustrating dead ends, like a brilliantly staged cat-and-mouse game on the subway involving Doyle and Fernando Rey's smooth French gangster. The explosions have even more impact when you first get to see the fuses slowly burning down...It's also what most imitators don't get. You can put together the most exciting sequence ever filmed, and it won't matter—or at least won't matter beyond the seconds it takes to unfold—if the material around it isn't there.
The French Connection is a knockout police thriller with so much jarring excitement that it almost calls for comic-book expletives. POW!, ZOWIE! The film has all the depth of a mud puddle, but Director William Friedkin (The Night They Raided Minsky's) sets such a frantic pace that there is hardly a chance to notice, much less care.
By Jay Cocks FULL REVIEW
The French Connection is a film of almost incredible suspense, and it includes, among a great many chilling delights, the most brilliantly executed chase sequence I have ever seen. [8 October 1971]
By Roger Greenspun FULL REVIEW
The real problems, however, are that Friedkin's nervy, noisy, undisciplined pseudo-realism sits uneasily with his suspense-motivated shock editing; and that compared to (say) Siegel's Dirty Harry, the film maintains no critical distance from (indeed, rather relishes) its 'loveable' hero's brutal vigilante psychology.
By Staff (Not Credited) FULL REVIEW
Apr 20, 2024
I just recently watched The French Connection. This is an older film, released in 1971, and would be the first time I sat down and watched this film from beginning to end and fully process the story. Those of you unfamiliar with this film, this film is considered a classic, and judging by what I watched, this film can still hold its own as one of the greats. Especially for actor Gene Hackman, this must be one of his best films (or at least Top 5, and yes, I am taking Hoosiers into consideration). The film revolves around two New York city detectives and a couple of French drug dealers (hence the "French Connection"). The main detective, played by Gene Hackman, wants to restore his reputation by cracking the "big case" and doing whatever necessary to get to the bottom of it. On the other side of the law, the French men must seek their way around New York City and avoid being captured by the authorities. It is a dangerous game of "cat and mouse", and it takes toughness and smarts to stay ahead of the game. This film is notable for many memorable scenes such as the famous car chase scene. I won't give away too many details, but Gene Hackman is chasing down this crook while he is driving and diving out of the way of incoming traffic. The crook is on an elevated train causing all kinds of havoc while running away from Hackman. How does Hackman catch up to the crook? You have to see for yourself. It doesn't sound as good in writing, but even watching this film in 1971, it had to be amazing to see this scene for the first time. When reviewing older films like this, I have to take into consideration the time period. Back in the day, shooting a car chase like this had to take special preparation and patience especially with the older filming equipment. Other than the famous car chase scene, the rest of this film is still interesting to watch.I will admit, it takes a while for this film to gain any traction. Half of the time during this film the detectives are looking around following the bad guys, and on long steak-outs to gather evidence. However, once the story gets interesting, this film will have you hooked on it and wondering what is going to happen next. It is one of those films where you must be patient and stick around until the very end or else you will miss out on this classic. Unlike modern action films, this film takes the time to get the story right and still presents the audience with nail-baiting action sequences. Some people always say there is a huge difference between older and newer films. After seeing this film compared to the previous films, I have reviewed I would agree older films have a certain level of quality that most modern films lack. In summary, if you have the time and opportunity to watch this classic, I will recommend this film. You must stay with this film to the end and trust me, it is worth it.
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Mar 23, 2014
Everything in "The French Connection" is remarkably well crafted, I'll give credit to that, but there is just nothing in it to hold onto. I would rate this movie a lot higher if it would have had something memorable in it, something that hadn't been already done. Something that would have separated it from all the other action-thrillers.
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Oct 22, 2010
I can't understand the reputation this movie has. It has an extremely misleading title, and gives you a very negative impression of the country. It's not my experience of France at all. It was such a lovely place when I spent my honeymoon there. I didn't see any drugs the whole time I was there.
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Production Company
- Twentieth Century Fox
- Philip D'Antoni Productions
- Schine-Moore Productions
Release Date Oct 7, 1971
Duration 1 h 44 m
Rating R
Tagline The time is just right for an out and out thriller like this.
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 5 Wins & 8 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 3 Wins & 4 Nominations
BAFTA Awards
• 2 Wins & 5 Nominations
