Episode 39: THE FRENCH CONNECTION
We make another visit to the 1970s for this week's episode. The French Connection is a gritty crime drama that turned Gene Hackman into a leading man in 1971. Hackman plays Detective Popeye Doyle, a decidedly unglamorous narcotics investigator in New York City. He partners with Roy Scheider in an attempt to uncover a heroine smuggling operation.
Known for its iconic car chase, The French Connection ranks at number 31 on our Best Picture Countdown.*
Spoiler Alert: We talk about the movie in its entirety, so if you haven't yet seen it, check it out. Or not. That ball is in your court.
*What is this list?
We explain it in more detail in our Trailer and its Description, but as a high-level answer: we aggregated several different lists that rank the ninety-four winners of the Best Picture Academy Award in a rough attempt to get a consensus. It is not intended to be rigorous or definitive. It's just a framework to guide our journey through cinema history.