The French Connection

(William Friedkin, US 1971, 104 min., 35mm)

Five Faces of New York in the 1970s. Featuring what may be the most relentless and exciting car chase in cinema history, The French Connection is based on the true story of two New York cops, played by Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider, who try to break up the eponymous international heroin ring. Tautly directed by William Friedkin, the film was a box office hit and won Oscars for Best Picture, Actor, Director, and Screenplay. The French Connection, one of the quintessential portrayals of New York City in the seventies, takes a brutal yet ironic look at law enforcement and the illegal drug trade in which each is seen to be as violent and coldblooded as the other.