Toto Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 Oct. 7th will be the 50th anniversary of the police detective film that won 5 Oscars "The French Connection" starring Gene Hackman and directed by William Friedkin. This article from the NY Post highlights some of the amazing story behind how this movie was made with scenes that included a traffic jam on the Brooklyn Bridge, a highspeed car chase along the route of a NY subway train with speeds up to 90 miles per hour and gritty, real, on location shooting. A police detective actually rode along in the car driven by the Hackman character and assisted with getting shots in NY. I recently saw this movie for the first time and was stunned. It really has an edge and I appreciated the not so happy, more-like-real-life ending. https://nypost.com/2021/10/04/secrets-of-the-french-connection-on-50th-anniversary/ How do you feel about The French Connection or do you have any good film-making stories of famous films? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unwatchable Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 The greatest chase ever on film. Some will disagree, but that is my opinion, and that includes Bullitt. Doyle was a determined man and it is quite satisfying that he doesn't stop until he gets the guy who was shooting at him. Since this film was based upon a true story, I guess that's why we get the realistic outcome, where all the higher-ups and many of the low-level operatives get away with it. I watch The French Connection everytime I run across it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Det Jim McLeod Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 2 hours ago, Toto said: How do you feel about The French Connection or do you have any good film-making stories of famous films? It is a great movie 9/10. My favorite story about the making of this film is how Friedkin got that performance out of Gene Hackman. Hackman was a gentle, soft spoken liberal and had to transform into this loud, bigoted violent cop. He went on busts with real life police like Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso. Egan was very much like the character of Popeye Doyle. After several weeks of seeing what the cops deal with, Friedkin saw the anger coming out in Hackman's performance and you have that brutal and stunning portrayal that you see on screen. After one scene where Doyle roughs up a suspect, Egan said "Hey this guy's worse than me!" , which drove Hackman crazy, stunned at what he had become. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citizen Ed Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 1 hour ago, unwatchable said: The greatest chase ever on film. Some will disagree, but that is my opinion, and that includes Bullitt. Doyle was a determined man and it is quite satisfying that he doesn't stop until he gets the guy who was shooting at him. Since this film was based upon a true story, I guess that's why we get the realistic outcome, where all the higher-ups and many of the low-level operatives get away with it. I watch The French Connection everytime I run across it. Yeah, that chase scene! Wow! I like the chase scene in Bullitt but I agree Hackman's chase of the train is the best I've ever seen. I think Bullitt appeals more to the gearhead and tuner fans. It is an exciting chase and admittedly it does get my heart racing seeing two of Detroit's finest steel monsters screaming down the streets,especially since you can see a Camaro at a red light, appropriately sitting still while the true lord's of muscle roar past in a blur.... but I digress. The chase in French Connection though? Hackman peering up through the windshield trying to keep the train in view and the street at the same time, narrowly missing the baby carriage, the (real!) collision with the Ford crossing from the side street, and Hackman's expressions and growls of frustration. Connection had a palpable sense of urgency to go along with it's excitement. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unwatchable Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 7 minutes ago, Citizen Ed said: Hackman peering up through the windshield trying to keep the train in view and the street at the same time Banging on the steering wheel! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aritosthenes Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 3 hours ago, unwatchable said: The greatest chase ever on film. Some will disagree, but that is my opinion, and that includes Bullitt. Doyle was a determined man and it is quite satisfying that he doesn't stop until he gets the guy who was shooting at him. Since this film was based upon a true story, I guess that's why we get the realistic outcome, where all the higher-ups and many of the low-level operatives get away with it. I watch The French Connection everytime I run across it. Not my Fav auto chase. Nor Bullitt. But Quite Easily Top 5 or 7 for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arsan404 Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 One of the movies I could sneak in the theater to see it despite its Mature rating. It is an excellent movie, and a favorite of mine. The movie has many several memorable scenes besides the car chase, like the subway scene when Gene Hackman and Fernando Rey try to outsmart each other, and when Fernando Rey is dining in an expensive restaurant while Hackman and Scheider eat some hotdogs outside. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unwatchable Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 25 minutes ago, Arsan404 said: Fernando Rey is dining in an expensive restaurant while Hackman and Scheider eat some hotdogs outside. Looked kinda chilly outside, didn't it? 😜 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewhite2000 Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 8 hours ago, unwatchable said: The greatest chase ever on film. Some will disagree, but that is my opinion, and that includes Bullitt. Doyle was a determined man and it is quite satisfying that he doesn't stop until he gets the guy who was shooting at him. Since this film was based upon a true story, I guess that's why we get the realistic outcome, where all the higher-ups and many of the low-level operatives get away with it. I watch The French Connection everytime I run across it. The chase in Bulitt is pretty emotionally detached and I think edited with a sort of boredom at the whole thing. The chase in The French Connection is much more grueling and emotionally impactful. Hackman's frustrated pounding at the wheel only adds to the intensity. It's the ending of this film that really gets me. When the triumph also has an element of castastrophic failure to it, and it sort of shakes up exactly how we're supposed to feel about the whole thing. There were a lot of darkly cynical films in the '70s that I don't think could get made today. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unwatchable Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 Good points. In the Bullitt chase scene, the cars were the stars. The ending, yeah, typically cynical 70s film. That's what makes The French Connection II ending such a letdown. Doyle finally- and unrealistically- gets "The Frog" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cigarjoe Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 6 hours ago, Citizen Ed said: Yeah, that chase scene! Wow! I like the chase scene in Bullitt but I agree Hackman's chase of the train is the best I've ever seen. I think Bullitt appeals more to the gearhead and tuner fans. It is an exciting chase and admittedly it does get my heart racing seeing two of Detroit's finest steel monsters screaming down the streets,especially since you can see a Camaro at a red light, appropriately sitting still while the true lord's of muscle roar past in a blur.... but I digress. The chase in French Connection though? Hackman peering up through the windshield trying to keep the train in view and the street at the same time, narrowly missing the baby carriage, the (real!) collision with the Ford crossing from the side street, and Hackman's expressions and growls of frustration. Connection had a palpable sense of urgency to go along with it's excitement. There is a great Manhattan chase scene in The Seven-Ups (1973) and another one under the old West Side Highway in the flawed Sexploitation film Massage Parlor Murders! (1973) that is quite good also. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cigarjoe Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 9 hours ago, cigarjoe said: There is a great Manhattan chase scene in The Seven-Ups (1973) and another one under the old West Side Highway in the flawed Sexploitation film Massage Parlor Murders! (1973) that is quite good also. I believe that Bullit , The French Connection, and The Seven-Ups were all stunt work by Bill Hickman. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citizen Ed Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 2 hours ago, cigarjoe said: I believe that Bullit , The French Connection, and The Seven-Ups were all stunt work by Bill Hickman. Indeed it was! Hickman was one of if not the best stunt drivers of all time in my opinion. He knew how to make a chase scene an exciting integral part of the film without it taking over the film. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 12 hours ago, cigarjoe said: There is a great Manhattan chase scene in The Seven-Ups (1973) and another one under the old West Side Highway in the flawed Sexploitation film Massage Parlor Murders! (1973) that is quite good also. Yeah, I always remark I like the chase in THE SEVEN-UPS far better than the one in BULLIT, And "The French Connection" car chase still tops with me too. Many "newer generation" guys I know don't like this one much due to the lack of unnecessary gun play which newer flicks of this type gratuitously throw in. But then too, some older than me disliked it because they felt it had TOO MUCH gun play!One of my favorite segments is when they're tearing up that Lincoln looking for the dope, and when the French actor goes to pick it up at the police garage it's put back together looking like it's never been touched. But that's just one of the many great segments sewn together in one fantastic motion picture. But, when it comes to chase scenes, I always bring up the "grand daddy " of 'em all! Sepiatone 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shank Asu Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 22 hours ago, Det Jim McLeod said: It is a great movie 9/10. My favorite story about the making of this film is how Friedkin got that performance out of Gene Hackman. Hackman was a gentle, soft spoken liberal and had to transform into this loud, bigoted violent cop. He went on busts with real life police like Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso. Egan was very much like the character of Popeye Doyle. After several weeks of seeing what the cops deal with, Friedkin saw the anger coming out in Hackman's performance and you have that brutal and stunning portrayal that you see on screen. After one scene where Doyle roughs up a suspect, Egan said "Hey this guy's worse than me!" , which drove Hackman crazy, stunned at what he had become. A gentle soft spoken liberal (not sure what that has to do with anything) that bullied co-stars on plenty on film productions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citizen Ed Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 1 hour ago, Shank Asu said: A gentle soft spoken liberal (not sure what that has to do with anything) that bullied co-stars on plenty on film productions. I still like to imagine at times about how much the tone of the series would have changed had Hackman won out over Robert Reed for the Mike Brady role in the Brady Bunch. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NipkowDisc Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 On 10/5/2021 at 2:20 PM, unwatchable said: The greatest chase ever on film. Some will disagree, but that is my opinion, and that includes Bullitt. Doyle was a determined man and it is quite satisfying that he doesn't stop until he gets the guy who was shooting at him. Since this film was based upon a true story, I guess that's why we get the realistic outcome, where all the higher-ups and many of the low-level operatives get away with it. I watch The French Connection everytime I run across it. I agree the best car chase on film and Gene Hackman as popeye doyle should be an inspiration to the kind of cop America needs today... the kind that will take no **** from stinkin' murderous street criminals. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bethluvsfilms Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 19 minutes ago, NipkowDisc said: I agree the best car chase on film and Gene Hackman as popeye doyle should be an inspiration to the kind of cop America needs today... the kind that will take no **** from stinkin' murderous street criminals. Sorry to say though, in 2021's world Popeye would be accused of police brutality and probably suspended from the force, maybe even jailed. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arsan404 Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 2 hours ago, NipkowDisc said: I agree the best car chase on film and Gene Hackman as popeye doyle should be an inspiration to the kind of cop America needs today... the kind that will take no **** from stinkin' murderous street criminals. Loved that hat, one of the hat styles that I always have one in my wardrobe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cigarjoe Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 11 hours ago, NipkowDisc said: the kind of cop America needs today... the kind that will take no **** from stinkin' murderous street criminals. the kind of cop America needs today... is the kind that will take no **** from crazy white supremacists 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikisoo Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Please bear in mind...some of us have P.O.-pos in our family. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJH Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 From IMDb on Bill Hickman: The actor is better known for his prowess as a stunt driver. His work in Bullitt (1968) is legendary where he drove the black Dodge Charger 440 Magnum that was pursued by Steve McQueen in his Ford Mustang 390 GT. For his reputation earned on Bullitt, Hickman was hired by William Friedkin for The French Connection (1971). He staged a similar chase on the streets of Manhattan but with a greater presence of civilians, an element that had been missing in Bullitt. Doubling for Gene Hackman in the more hazardous stunts, Hickman drove the brown 1970 Pontiac at speeds up to 90mph with Friedkin manning the camera right behind him. Hickman's third spectacle would be captured in The Seven-Ups (1973) where, yet again, he virtually outdid himself driving the car being pursued by Roy Scheider in another landmark car chase. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinecrazydc Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 On 10/5/2021 at 2:20 PM, unwatchable said: The greatest chase ever on film. Some will disagree, but that is my opinion, and that includes Bullitt. Doyle was a determined man and it is quite satisfying that he doesn't stop until he gets the guy who was shooting at him. Since this film was based upon a true story, I guess that's why we get the realistic outcome, where all the higher-ups and many of the low-level operatives get away with it. I watch The French Connection everytime I run across it. I also liked the one in The Seven Ups. Plus it was longer. Bill Hickman was the stunt driver on that, just as he was in Bullitt. I think that Bullitt sort of set the stage for car chases since French Connection and Seven Ups came relatively close together - 1971 and 73, respectively. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Car chases always entertain. Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shank Asu Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 7 hours ago, cigarjoe said: the kind of cop America needs today... is the kind that will take no **** from crazy white supremacists Is this the place to post Antifa propaganda or about The French Connection? I deal with them enough in Portland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts