October 7, 1971 (United States)
The French Connection is a 1971 American crime action thriller film directed by William Friedkin. The screenplay, written by Ernest Tidyman, is based on Robin Moore's 1969 book of the same name. It tells the story of NYPD detectives Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle and Buddy "Cloudy" Russo, whose real-life counterparts were Narcotics Detectives Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso, in pursuit of wealthy French heroin smuggler Alain Charnier. The film stars Gene Hackman as Popeye, Roy Scheider as Cloudy, and Fernando Rey as Charnier. Tony Lo Bianco and Marcel Bozzuffi also star.
At the 44th Academy Awards, the film earned eight nominations and won five for Best Picture, Best Actor (Hackman), Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Scheider), Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Mixing. Tidyman also received a Golden Globe Award nomination, a Writers Guild of America Award, and an Edgar Award for his screenplay. A sequel, French Connection II, followed in 1975 with Hackman and Rey reprising their roles.
Considered one of the greatest films ever made, The French Connection appeared in the American Film Institute's list of the best American films in 1998 and again in 2007. In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Storyline
New York City cop Doyle and his partner are trying to bust a drug cartel based in France. Albeit short-tempered, Doyle is a dedicated cop whose nemesis, Alain Charnier, is too polished for a criminal.
Also See
- French Connection II (1975)
- Popeye Doyle (1986)
Sound Effects Used
Original Mix
- 20th Century Fox Baby Crying Sound (Debut; used twice for a baby when it cries. First off-screen at the beginning of the film; and in a pram after its mother was shot.)
- CAR CRASH HEAVY, GLASS SHATTER AFTER IMPACT (20th Century Fox)
- Hollywoodedge, Crash Metal Glass PE110901 (Debut, Heard once in a low volume when Jimmy hits a Ford pulling out in front of him as he chases after the subway train.)
- Hollywoodedge, Large Shatter Window PE283603 (Debut, The last half is heard once after Pierre breaks a window in one of the subway train's cars after it crashes into a parked one.)
- Hollywoodedge, Wood Crash Large PE113501 (Debut)
- Sound Ideas, BODYFALL - BODYFALL ON DIRT, HUMAN 01
- Sound Ideas, CRASH, METAL - LARGE METAL CLATTER CRASH 01 (Debut, The last half of this sound or a very similar sound is heard once after the Pontiac Jimmy uses to chase after the subway train crashes through a pile of boxes to avoid a woman with a pram.)
- Sound Ideas, RICOCHET - SLICK RICCO 02
- Sound Ideas, TRAIN, BRAKE - BRAKES SQUEAL
Remastered Mix
- Hollywoodedge, Crash Metal Glass PE110801 (The 1st half is heard once when Jimmy hits a van turning in front of him as he chases after the subway train.)
- Hollywoodedge, Crash Metal Shatter PE110201 (Heard once in a slightly lower volume.)
- Sound Ideas, AUTO, CRASH - HEAD ON COLLISION 01