The film s high point, a highspeed car chase with popeye tailing an elevated train, was one of the most viscerally. With gene hackman, roy scheider, fernando rey, tony lo bianco. In honor of the film s 45th anniversary, the academy will host a celebratory screening featuring an onstage discussion with friedkin. Dec 02, 2006 the film, starring gene hackman and roy schneider as characters modeled on narcotics officers was a boxoffice smash and won five academy awards. The celebrated film critic david thomson compares his favourite movies of 2001 and 1971 and finds that complexity has given way to crassness david thomson sat 12 jan 2002 23. 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. Sonny grosso, an nypd detective who, along with partner eddie egan, inspired william friedkins 1971 crime classic the french connection, died.
The greatest film scenes ever shot feature film the. Thats how director billy friedkin last week summed up his famously hairraising chase scene in the oscarwinning 1971 film the french connection. See more ideas about french connection, french and roy scheider. Popeye doyle was a highly unusual hero, an often violent, racist, and meanspirited cop whose dedication to his job fell just short of dangerous obsession.
Some wide shots displayed a smidgen of softness, but those instances occurred infrequently. The best 10 movies of 1971 roger ebert roger ebert. Tough narcotics detective popeye doyle is in hot pursuit of a suave french drug dealer who may be the key to a huge heroinsmuggling operation. It featured a great early gene hackman performance that won an academy award, and it also won oscars for best picture, direction. The french connection is the best picture oscar winner from the 1970s that makes me happiest.
Just released as part of a filmmakers signature series the high energy classic film, a winner. First sonny grosso was a police detective, one of the two depicted in the 1971 movie the french connection. The french connection classic film pick cole smithey. The screenplay, written by ernest tidyman, is based on robin moores 1969 nonfiction book. The french connection appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1. The movie, which features other tense action sequences, centres on violent and unlikable new york city narcotics detectives on the trail of international heroin dealers. The french connection is a 1971 american actionthriller film directed by william friedkin. The truetolife film about the largest narcotics seizure of all time in 1962 with an innovative semidocumentarystyle technique that conveys the story with very few words. Sonny grosso, detective who severed french connection. All the same, the french connection isn t one of those joltaminit amazers for tv victims. I came across a melancholy item in a recent issue of film quarterly. The french connection 1971 is director william friedkins brilliant, fastpaced, brutallyrealistic policecrime film his commercial breakthrough film the time is just right for an out and out thriller like this. The french connection 1971 jerry roberts december 4, 2017 oscars 90 th birthday is just around the corner and to celebrate, every other day from now through march 4th, i will be taking a look at each and every film selected for his top award the good, the bad and the sometimes notso deserving. The film s title derives from a discussion in the tao te ching that likens people to the ancient chinese ceremonial straw dog, being of ceremonial.
The movies title comes from the actual drug trade that saw heroin shipped from turkey to the southern french port of marseille and then onto the united states. Austin collins is a film critic for vanity fair and a crossword constructor for the new yorker and. Director william friedkins 1971 classic police thriller, the french connection, which won the 1971 academy award for best picture and four others over a clockwork orange, fiddler on the roof, the last picture show, and nicholas and alexandra, is not a great film, but it is a very good and taut prosaic thriller, and a significantly better film than his later, overrated nonscary horror. Despite the film s age, the picture generally looked very positive. Straw dogs is a 1971 psychological thriller film directed by sam peckinpah and starring dustin hoffman and susan george. List of awards and nominations received by gene hackman. The french connection won five oscars, including best directing for friedkin and best actor for hackman, and marked the first time that an rrated film won best picture. French connection bandeannonce vost version restauree 1. The french connection 1971 philip dantoni productions. Two tough new york city cops, jimmy doyle gene hackman and buddy rosso roy scheider, try to intercept a huge heroin shipment coming in from france. The best 10 movies of 1971 roger ebert december 31, 1971. The french connection is routinely included, along with bullitt, diva and raiders of the lost ark, on the short list of movies with the.
The two lead characters, nypd detectives, are in more of an antihero vein. While trying to make up my mind this week about the years 10 best movies. Why is the french connection regularly called one of the greatest chases of all time. The french connection was inspired by a true story, and eddie egan and sonny grosso, popeye and buddys real life counterparts, both have small roles in the film. French connection ii is a 1975 american action thriller film starring gene hackman and directed by john frankenheimer. 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. They provide a primer to a remarkable period in this first century of film. Jimmy popeye doyle who travels to marseille, france where he is attempting to track down french drugdealer. New york film locations from the movie the french connection starring gene hackman. Mar, 2010 we all have film sequences that stick in our minds. It is william friedkins the french connection, now 40 years old, based on a true story, and starring gene hackman as detective jimmy popeye doyle, a. William friedkins 1971 thriller set in new york is nihilistic, unapologetic and even racist.
May 27, 2014 william friedkins 1971 crime drama is unlike any other. Parents need to know that the french connection is a 1971 movie that is filled with frequent profanity including fk, violence, and questionable behavior. The french connection is a 1971 american crime thriller film directed by william friedkin. Oct 10, 2012 taking a ride with popeye doyle in the french connection just became easier now that its on bluray. The french connection is a carefully condensed version of a reallife new york city heroin smuggling investigation that spanned several years during the early 60s. He won all three awards again for his role in unforgiven. Listen to the unspooled episode the french connection on. Jan 23, 2020 sonny grosso, an nypd detective who, along with partner eddie egan, inspired william friedkins 1971 crime classic the french connection, died yesterday in manhattan following a long illness. The french connection 15 movie clip bad santa 1971 hd.
Roger ebert was the film critic of the chicago suntimes from 1967 until his death in 20. William friedkins 1971 crime drama is unlike any other. It is a fictional sequel to the initially true story of the 1971 academy award winning picture the french connection. Jul 01, 2015 the french connection was inspired by a true story, and eddie egan and sonny grosso, popeye and buddys real life counterparts, both have small roles in the film. Realistic, fastpaced and uncommonly smart, the french connection is bolstered by stellar performances by gene. Made in 1971, the citys decay is front and center in nearly every frame, from abandoned, grimecovered buildings and derelict cars to crumbling warehouses and trashstrewn lots, and at times, the neglect is nothing short of tragic. Jan 23, 2020 first sonny grosso was a police detective, one of the two depicted in the 1971 movie the french connection. A pair of nyc cops in the narcotics bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a french connection. A knockout police thriller with so much jarring excitement that it almost calls for comicbook expletives. The screenplay, written by ernest tidyman, is based on robin moores 1969 nonfiction book the french connection. What is not always remembered is what a good movie it is apart from the chase scene.
The french connection 1971 the gene hackman crime thriller that was all about the chase. It reports that the average american spends more than 1,000 hours a year watching television, but only nine hours at the movies. A pair of nyc cops in the narcotics bureau stumble onto. For his role in the french connection, he won an academy award, a bafta award, and a golden globe for best actor. The screenplay, by peckinpah and david zelag goodman, is based upon gordon m. Its a drama, crime sort of thriller that stars gene hackman, roy scheider and fernando rey. The french connection is a film directed by william friedkin with gene hackman, roy scheider, fernando rey, tony lo bianco, year. Roger ebert 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.
An enthralled, somewhat dazed, audience emptied onto wilshire boulevard only at 11. Overview of the french connection, 1971, directed by william friedkin, with gene hackman, fernando rey, roy scheider, at turner classic movies. The following is a list of awards and nominations received by american actor gene hackman. The french connection 1971 william friedkin synopsis. The french connection is one of the iconic films of the 1970s. Why dirty harry beats harry potter film the guardian. Mar 16, 2009 a nearly 40yearold movie has managed to generate a specialized sort of controversy as the french connection sees its first release in the bluray format.
Sep 29, 2016 thats how director billy friedkin last week summed up his famously hairraising chase scene in the oscarwinning 1971 film the french connection. The sopranos best moments and quotes season 6, part 1 duration. Some are shared by many such as the shower scene from psycho others are particular to us. It ushered in the era of gritty 1970\s cop films, and while this new presentation on bluray might leave some fans feeling uneasy, it\s friedkin\s ultimate. The french connection, american crime thriller film, released in 1971, that became known for having one of the most exciting and iconic car chases in cinematic history. William friedkins the french connection depicts just the kind of new york he was looking for. Not because i think its the best of them it just barely makes the top half of winners that decade for me, and im not even 100% sure i like it best of its nomination class but because its the kind of film that doesnt really win that award, and it is extremely cool that this one did and i. Jan 12, 2002 the celebrated film critic david thomson compares his favourite movies of 2001 and 1971 and finds that complexity has given way to crassness david thomson sat 12 jan 2002 23.
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. Released in 1971, the films took its inspiration from a real life criminal investigation in which the new york police department were in pursuit of a french drug kingpin who smuggled millions in heroin into the united states. Paul scheer is a lifelong movie buff, but hes never seen many of the all time greats. The french connection 1971 directed by william friedkin. The french connection is a classic oscarwinning crime film that features standout performances, realistic action and situations, and one of the best chase scenes captured on film. The french connection broke plenty of new ground for screen thrillers. The french connection is a 1971 film directed by the exorcists william friedkin. Roy scheider plays gene hackmans partner and both are constantly watching a criminal organisation led by charnier the french connection is a 1971 film directed by the. Edgar wright gushes about 10 movies that influenced baby. The filming locations of the french connection, then and. Then he went on to a career in film and television as a producer. Because it builds out of some unique stakes, and its also. William friedkins symphony of long, sharp shocks is memorable for any number of sequences.
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