Arlene Farber

The French Connection -- New York City detectives Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) hope to break a narcotics smuggling ring and ultimately uncover The French Connection. But when one of the criminals tries to kill Doyle, he begins a deadly pursuit that takes him far outside the city limits. Based on a true story, this action-filled thriller, with its renowned chase scene, won five Academy Awards in 1971, including Best Picture, Best Director (William Friedkin) and Best Actor for Hackman.

Gene Hackman returns as the hard-hitting detective Popeye Doyle. Doyle travels to Marseilles in pursuit of the heroin dealers who he hit, but failed to kill in New York. In the south of France, he is kidnapped by the dealers and forced to become as addict in captivity. But Popeye is too tough to be beaten and when he is finally set free, he quits the junk cold turkey and undergoes an agonizing withdrawal. After he comes clean, he goes after his enemy Charnier, the heroin dealing king pin, played by Fernando Rey. He burns down the hotel where he was held hostage, survives a shootout and finally does away with his enemies once and for all.

The French Connection is William Friedkin's gritty, Oscar®-winning police drama where two tough New York City cops try to intercept a huge heroin shipment coming from France. Police partners Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) put a candy store under surveillance based on a hunch that something fishy was going on. Eventually it turns out that the proprietors are involved in one of the biggest narcotics smuggling rings on either side of the Atlantic, and the cops go to work. Popeye Doyle is a short-tempered alcoholic bigot, but he is nevertheless a hard-working and dedicated police officer. Doyle's nemesis is Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey), a suave and urbane gentleman who is a criminal, and one of the largest suppliers of pure heroin to North America. As money troubles begin for the hoods they decide to kill Popeye and Buddy to give them enough room to bring in the heroin.

New York City detectives Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) hope to break a narcotics smuggling ring and ultimately uncover The French Connection. But when one of the criminals tries to kill Doyle, he begins a deadly pursuit that takes him far outside the city limits. Based on a true story, this action-filled thriller, with its renowned chase scene, won five Academy Awards in 1971, including Best Picture, Best Director (William Friedkin) and Best Actor for Hackman.