Search - The French Connection on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language, Substance Abuse Movie Release: 1971 DVD Release: 09/25/2001 Format: DVD Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Run Time: 1 hrs 44 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Action, Crime, Action Thriller, Chase Movie, Police Detective Film See Also: The French Connection, The French Connection [Collector's Edition], The French Connection [Widescreen] [Blu-ray]

This gritty, fast-paced, and innovative police drama earned five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay (written by Ernest Tidyman), and Best Actor (Gene Hackman). Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Hackman) and his partner, Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider), are New York City police detectives on narcotics detail, trying to track down the source of heroin from Europe into the United States. Suave Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey) is the French drug kingpin who provides a large percentage of New York City's dope, and Pierre Nicoli (Marcel Bozzuffi) is a hired killer and Charnier's right-hand man. Acting on a hunch, Popeye and Buddy start tailing Sal Boca (Tony Lo Bianco) and his wife, Angie (Arlene Faber), who live pretty high for a couple whose corner store brings in about 7,000 dollars a year. It turns out Popeye's suspicions are right -- Sal and Angie are the New York agents for Charnier, who will be smuggling 32 million dollars' worth of heroin into the city in a car shipped over from France. The French Connection broke plenty of new ground for screen thrillers; Popeye Doyle was a highly unusual "hero," an often violent, racist, and mean-spirited cop whose dedication to his job fell just short of dangerous obsession. The film's high point, a high-speed car chase with Popeye tailing an elevated train, was one of the most viscerally exciting screen moments of its day and set the stage for dozens of action sequences to follow. And the film's grimy realism (and downbeat ending) was a big change from the buff-and-shine gloss and good-guys-always-win heroics of most police dramas that preceded it. The French Connection was inspired by a true story, and Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso, Popeye and Buddy's real life counterparts, both have small roles in the film. A sequel followed four years later. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Gene Hackman - Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle
Fernando Rey - Alain Charnier
Roy Scheider - Buddy Russo
Tony Lo Bianco - Sal Boca
Marcel Bozzuffi - Pierre Nicoli

Twentieth Century Fox keeps coming on strong with the DVD release of The French Connection in an excellent two-disc set. The first disc contains the feature, which looks great after 30 years. Presented in an anamorphic widescreen format with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the stark, grainy colors of New York's seamy side come through with amazing clarity. The film also carries a pleasant Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Also on the first disc is a commentary from director William Friedkin. While he often provides some interesting tidbits about the film, he spends some time simply describing what's happening onscreen. Still, it's obvious he knows this film well, and hearing his thoughts on it is worth one's time. Actors Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider provide an alternate commentary track. Disc two contains the extras which include a spectacular pair of documentaries and a host of deleted scenes. These scenes can be watched separately or as part of a documentary where Friedkin explains why they were excised. Additionally, the disc offers trailers for The French Connection and The French Connection II. This disc set is a worthy treatment for such a landmark film and should find its way into any serious film buff's library. ~ Jeremy Brown, All Movie Guide