Review of The French Connection (1971) by Rameshwar N — 08 Nov 2012

The trailer to this movie wasn't amusing nor was the first 15 minutes with laughable dialogues and caricature type characters. Everything changes instantly and soon taken over by intense screenplay and performances mixed with an exhilarating tail and chase sequence building up to a clever and perfect climax. This movie can be referred as a lesson on how perseverance can pay.

Doyle (Gene Hackman) is a cop in the narcotics bureau who is often criticized for his backfired hunches but well supported by his chief along with his partner Russo (Roy Scheider). Doyle and Russo come across a charismatic couple Boca's in a bar and tails them since they had a bad feeling. Their observation provides leads into some unknown shady deal about to happen. All this seems connected to a Frenchman Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey) but the details are still hazy. But Doyle's perseverance and unconventional work ethics helps to put pieces together.

Firstly a special commendation should go for the intense and exhilarating chase sequence between a car and a hijacked train. A role of an obsessed cop or a detective is nothing new but when played by someone as talented as Gene Hackman it just gets better. Hackman plays the role with measured intensity, carelessness, obsession and a sense of humor. Roy Scheider gives an apt supporting role while Fernando Rey is very inconsistent ebbing and surging the character's image constantly. Background score isn't too loud which is otherwise very common for thrillers during its era while the photography is very enjoyable with its perfect wide shots and intense maneuvering for additional thrills. The graphic violence lacks technical prowess succumbing to a low quality finished product in a couple of scenes. Though a little disconnected in the beginning, the screenplay pulls up from its lull intensifying and ends up playing the winning role for the movie.

If it ends well, all is well.