On This Day

The French Connection released

October 7th 1971

10:03 7 October 2024

‘The French Connection’ opened in US theaters on this day in 1971. Fifty three years have done little to diminish the powerful impact of William Friedkin's superb crime thriller. Shot with an almost documentary style gritty realism, the film follows NYPD narcotics division detectives Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy "Cloudy" Russo (Roy Scheider) as they attempt to stop a huge heroin shipment reaching the streets of New York from France.

Friedkin's movie includes one of cinemas greatest ever car chases with “Popeye” behind the wheel of a commandeered Pontiac Le Mans, racing through the New York traffic in pursuit of an assassin above him in an elevated train speeding out of control through the stations, the driver held at gunpoint, it remains a landmark moment in film history. Only ‘Bullitt’, with Steve McQueen, a few years earlier had come close to the sheer rush of the chase scene in ‘The French Connection’. The role of Jimmy Doyle was originally offered to McQueen who turned it down, not wanting to be typecast in tough guy cop roles. It’s difficult now to imagine anyone other than Gene Hackman playing the part.

The actor deservedly won the Best Actor Oscar, with the film also picking up Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Scheider) and Best Screenplay amongst others.

Now aged 94 and happily retired, Gene Hackman spoke about the film in a rare interview recently, saying "Filmmaking has always been risky, both physically and emotionally but I do choose to consider that film a moment in a chequered career of hits and misses. The film certainly helped me in my career and I am grateful for that." 'The French Connection' remains a timeless classic.