The French Connection (1971)

[jserraglio]

Reconnected with this famously gritty NYC caper last night. A William-Friedkin-directed thriller starring the great actor, Gene Hackman with his trademark porkpie hat (Hackman is still with us at age 92). The first movie with an 'R' rating ever to win an Academy Award. The car chase scene is to die for. I was living in NYC about that time, so many of the places look familiar to me. With all the loving shots (86 different locations in NYC alone) of seedy storefronts and swanky hotels, the Waterfront, the Pan Am Bldg, Grand Central Station, the Williamsberg and Brooklyn Bridges, the City takes on the role of a supporting actor, for which it could have won an A.A. in its own right.