Rating of
4/4
The French Connection
SteelCity99 - wrote on 04/22/18
Several directors, either foreign or American (not that American can't be foreign, of course), build a classic and unforgettable filmography in their early days, where the image quality of the camera had that beautiful and magical high definition and when more original stories where still available, thus leaving some room for originality and a predominant, characteristic style. William Friedkin is no exception to this list of directors, a filmmaker who already has fallen into the horrible world of idea-lacking and Hollywood mediocrity. The French Connection does not only belongs to the group of the best American crime films of the Golden Age of cinema, but it is also Friedkin at his most stylish, explosive and ultimately kickass, fantastically edited and with a powerful and male-centered leading role.
Gene Hackman stars as the very-well known detective Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle, a man within the NYC Narcotics Bureau with no scruples that seemingly would move mountains in order to achieve his main and most important purpose: to catch the bad guy of the day. With his partner Buddy Russo, he investigates a potential buyer who has a link with one of the largest drug suppliers of pure heroin to North America, named Alain Charnier. The film received 8 Academy Award nominations, receiving five of them which were Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Film Editing, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Best Director and Best Picture. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Cinematography and Best Sound. I'm fully aware of the fact that this is the film that stole precisely the 5 Academy Awards A Clockwork Orange (1971) fully deserved, but genius directors have never been adequately rewarded as they should have when they arise until much more later thanks to worldwide audiences, thus gaining fair recognition.
Nevertheless, The French Connection is a realistically intense action thriller with an awesome pace and fantastic performances throughout, especially thanks to Gene Hackman and the fantastic actor Fernando Rey, who is most well-known because of the Buñuel films he starred in. The French Connection is not only a stylishly stereotypical and fast-paced feature film, but also a brilliant and cinematically gripping police drama. The film does not deviate from the crime genre, but successfully creating one of the best and most memorable car-chase sequences in the history of American cinema with substance behind it is a magnificent achievement, not to mention it makes the film title speak for itself.
William Friedkin's vision towards both the narcotics world and the city of New York establishes a balance between those genius, yet criminal people who, thanks to their talent and intelligence, build an empire, and the courageous cops who would risk their lives for the safety of the city they serve. Consequently, the film itself constitutes much more than just endless chase sequences and cool one-liners. The final outcome is an exciting ride through the streets of New York as realistic as possible, with a tense climax and a shocking, open ending.
The French Connection may be fairly called "a masterpiece". It surely is. It has so many qualities throughout, from the cinematographic to the technical aspects. It is a violent ride, and an auteur result that naturally attracted the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and that has successfully stood the test of time. They simply don't make them like this anymore.
97/100
