Review of The French Connection (1971) by Harry W — 02 Jul 2013

The French Connection is slow to start since it relies on a sizeable quantity of dialogue for an extended period of time with mere small-scale crime dramatics to pass the time and explain just what The French Connection is, but once the intensity strikes the story it becomes incredibly hard hitting and turns around instantly into absolute solid entertainment.

For much of the start, The French Connection is a slow story. It doesn't emphasise the brutality of the drama as best as it could have and so by today's standards the quality and quantity of blood, gore and violence no longer have the same effect on the viewer.

But the intensity does. The intensity in The French Connection is absolutely incredible once it strikes and its some of the greatest I've ever witnessed in a film ever. It hits the characters and the story square in the face with a bullet and provides a rich and racing atmosphere with terrific action ranging from car chasing to catching a sniper, enhanced by an atmosphere bereft of anything but intensity and natural noises and a good level of blood and gore. It's especially the sequence where Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle gets attacked by a sniper and ends up in pursuit of him in which the fine intensity was kicked into gear faster that the car Popeye drove in pursuit. The entire scene is exhilarating without glamourising the dramatics of it through action, and one of the greatest I have ever witnessed in a thriller in my entire life, and so that one scene alone is enough to deserve the Academy Award for Best Picture.

That scene, among others are cleverly crafted and feature a fine script, skilled direction, balanced cinematography and an excellent lead performance from Gene Hackman who captures the iconic Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle with a fine gritty charisma and dedicated brutality. His efforts are tremendous and massively successful in The French Connection.

Roy Scheider also provides one of his finest in The French Connection and delivers a strong supporting role to ensure that there is fine backup to the characters.

Fernando Rey does the same because he keeps the other side of the story alive with his strong villainous character and capture of manipulation with internal thought and facial expression.

William Friedkin really gave an energetic effort into making The French Connection, and so even though its slow at times it still has a landmark in history for being an excellent dramatic thriller which brought a new level of violence to the screen. The French Connection is a great original thriller with unforgettable intensity.