"The French Connection"
(1971)
Boy in blue: Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman)
The case: A tour de force of stylistic, kinetic editing,
sweeping handheld camerawork, savage realism, and natural, antiheroic leads, William Friedkin's "The French Connection" won that rare
honor
in Hollywood: Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, for an
"action" picture (Martin Scorsese would achieve similar honors years later
with "The Departed"). Within this complex police story exists
wonderful hard-boiled acting, ingenious cinematography and one of the dirtiest,
toughest and, dare we say, sexiest cops in filmdom. That's Gene Hackman (who also won an Oscar for his performance) as
the porkpie hat wearing Popeye Doyle, a rough police detective who has no qualms
about breaking the rules to catch one of the French drug smugglers he's
pursuing. A heavy drinker, disrespectful, even bigoted, Popeye Doyle isn't
exactly a nice cop, but a likable, determined and dedicated police officer. He
also contributes to one of film's grittiest, most exhilarating chase scenes. And
he can intimidate while wearing a Santa suit. Other than Billy Bob Thornton, who else can boast that kind of talent?
He's terrible and perfect all at once.
Final report: You'll have to decide. And, by the way, have
you ever been to Poughkeepsie? (Everett Collection)
Close
Hotmail
