The 1971 film “The French Connection” is most remembered for the car chase that happens at the end of the movie. The chase movies of today are not known for being typical Oscar bait, so I was curious to see what else this movie would bring to the table. What I got from it was a good, solid police story, but nothing that would really stand out in today’s world. It would be filed alongside Lethal Weapon and Bad Boys now. So the importance of this movie comes from it starting a genre instead of being a movie that has stood the test of time.
The movie revolves around two cops, Popeye and Cloudy, as they investigate the smuggling of narcotics from Marseilles to New York. As the plot moves along, we see the criminals attempt to bring the drugs in while the two police officers get closer to finding them. Soon a high speed chase ensues between Doyle and an assassin that has the killer hijacking an elevated train and killing a police officer. Eventually they cops realize the drugs are being smuggled over in a car. The movie ends with a shoot out between the police and the smugglers.
The story tries to show the human side to the police officers and Gene Hackman and Roy Schieder both put in decent performances. But I have seen better from both of them since this performance. The movie itself tells a nice story that is good popcorn fun. But there are better cop movies and better heist movies that you can see. Having watched those movies over the past 30 years before seeing “The French Connection” makes this movie nothing more than a novelty for those who want to know where the drama got its big break from.
It really is a decent movie, it just doesn’t hold up in today’s world. I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.
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