The French Connection

The name, the topic and the time period clearly remind one of the nadir of French crime cinematography. But only until the first moments of the film because that’s when the absolutely perfect American dynamic atmosphere starts which keeps at it until the very end. I personally have to say that I may never have seen a better and more suspenseful espionage crime flick than The French Connection. For instance, when Gene Hackman was spying on the scummy guys from France in the subway, I was literally breathless. And I guess I don’t have to tell you how I felt when he started up the Pontiac LeMans, which led to one of the most beautiful movie car-chases I have ever seen. That was some perfect cinematographic adrenaline! You don’t get moments like these in today’s movies anymore… the same goes for the dirtiness of New York City. It’s that bleak atmosphere where you would expect to run into a scumbag around every corner - it’s simply great. And what’s more, after the movie, I was simply staring blankly at the final credits because that ending was pretty depressing. I tip my hat to you, Americans. You sure did a great job on this one. (16/12/2018)

This film is really well-edited, it has excellent pacing, great actors, but in order for me to rate it at maximum, I would also have to be entertained by the story. And honestly, the story didn't interest me that much. Not that it was completely boring, but I guess I was expecting more. However, William Friedkin made a truly excellent film with what he had. (11/08/2015)

A quite solid crime drama, skillfully directed, well-acted, and well-told. The fact that William Friedkin often used a handheld camera is certainly good, and the action scenes are much more authentic and faster thanks of it. Perhaps the runtime could have been a bit longer, as the ending felt very abrupt and unfinished to me. In contrast, some scenes seem somewhat unnecessary in the script and, with a gap of over thirty years, the film has also lost some of its attractiveness and directorial prowess. However, its quality cannot be denied, and Friedkin has already proven here that he truly knows what he's doing, as he would demonstrate several more times in the following years. (10/08/2005)

As one of the cornerstones of classic crime films, this movie is a perfect example of directorial mastery, capable of delivering a unique cinematic experience even several decades later. With a simple and schematic plot, it relies on all the fundamental clichés that the crime genre offers. William Friedkin directs at a fast pace and creates his strongest moments out of utter banalities, such as a simple jog on the sidewalk while following a suspicious person. For the more demanding audience, he later features a fantastic car chase with extraordinary stunts. The pair of detectives, played by Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider, complement each other perfectly not only in character but also in acting. The French Connection perfectly fulfills the notion that in simplicity often lies the greatest beauty. (28/09/2005)

Here the rules of the genre were rewritten. Friedkin films action much more dynamically than was generally the rule in the 70s. The legendary “Popeye" Gene Hackman is precisely the type of stubborn cop who lives for his job and pursues his target like a bulldog. The ingenious chase on the subway is one of the best ever made, but the raw finale with the subtitles was literally murder. (16/02/2013)