Picture 44: The French Connection (1971)

The 3rd anniversary of the Oscar Best Picture blog presents a neo-noir, detective thriller starring Gene Hackman and Roy Schneider. Winner of 5 Academy Awards, it grossed over 30 times its budget worldwide and even inspired the creation of fried chicken restaurant chain “Popeye Louisiana Kitchen”. A classic for its time but can it still live up to its sizzling billing?

We are swiftly thrust into the transatlantic drug trade between the US and France. NYPD detectives Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy “Cloudy” Russo (Roy Schneider) go in pursuit of elusive, French international heroin smuggler Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey). They seem to have dedicated their entire lives to the task with only limited success. They do however still find the time to exhibit some top class 1970s fashion including leather jackets, trench coats and top hats. Viewers are also subjected to an unusually high frequency of stylistic cinematic snacking by Gene Hackman’s character.

It’s an entertaining couple of hours and is blessed with a nostalgic 1970s feel. Action seekers are rewarded with a dramatic car chase, Santa Claus chasing a drug dealer and shootouts with baddies whilst the rest of the audience can enjoy a mildly entertaining “cops and robbers” plot and a vintage tour of 1970s New York complete with Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, the subway and a mixture of phone booths. Be prepared for very detailed car examinations for contraband and an unusually significant role for an umbrella. A competent entry but not quite enough to compete with the best of this list. Merci. Suivant.

Rating: 7/10

Oscar Best Picture Rankings:

1. Casablanca (1943)

2. The Apartment (1960)

3. Rebecca (1940)

4. The Sound of Music (1965)

5. A Man for All Seasons (1966)

6. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

7. Ben-Hur (1959)

8. Lost Weekend (1945)

9. All About Eve (1950)

10. Hamlet (1948)

11. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

12. Gone With the Wind (1939)

13. West Side Story (1961)

14. Mrs. Miniver (1942)

15. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

16. Wings (1928)

17. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

18. You can’t take it with you (1938)

19. Patton (1970)

20. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

21. On the Waterfront (1954)

22. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

23. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

24. Marty (1955)

25. Oliver! (1968)

26. Cimarron (1931)

27. Grand Hotel (1932)

28. The French Connection (1971)

29. An American in Paris (1951)

30. From Here to Eternity (1953)

31. It Happened One Night (1934)

32. My Fair Lady (1964)

33. Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

34. Cavalcade (1933)

35. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

36. Going My Way (1944)

37. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

38. All the King’s Men (1949)

39. In the Heat of the Night (1967)

40. Gigi (1958)

41. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

42. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

43. The Broadway Melody (1929)

44. Tom Jones (1963)

Previous or current ranking leaders are in bold.

With credit and thanks to the patrons of the Best Picture Film Club:

Dr Sophie Bloomfield

Dr Caspar Briault

Dr Kate Diomede

Dr Fionnuala Durrant

Dr Josh Fisher

Mr Vivian Gallaher

Mrs Clare Gallaher

Dr Adam Holland

Dr Hannah Morrison

Dr Meera Radia