The French Connection
The following review will probably appear somewhat confused to the reader. The reason for this involves a rather unfortunate altercation with an uncooperative computer, which for a number of years has been on the fritz. This computer, a free item from a business connection, seems to have come from nowhere and belong to nobody, so it could not be repaired properly. A few days ago the last straw arrived, and we went to buy a brand-new computer; of course, that was necessitated by the fact that the old, cheap edition decided to not turn on anymore. If it could, you would have been able to read a pretty decent review of The French Connection. But now, you will only be able to read a deluded review of the movie.
The movie stars Gene Hackman, as Popeye Doyle, and Roy Schnieder as two New York city cops, who seem to specialize in undercover jobs involving the busting of drug dealers. In the very first scene, Hackman disguises himself as a sidewalk Santa while Schnieder is a hot dog vendor, and they manage to chase down a small-time thug in the hopes of getting some good information. Doyle, unlike Schneider's character, seems to be much more obsessed with getting the bad guy, and getting a really important bust; it is that obsession which allows the real story to begin. Later on that same evening, Schnieder tries to get Doyle to just forget about crime for one night, and they go to a local bar. However, a few important underworld fellows show up, and Doyle gets talking about how the guy whose with them doesn't look familiar, and of course, Doyle decides to follow him. For a long time the cops track down this shady character, and end up at a local convenience store, where they see him and his woman companion apparently stuffing something inside newspapers.
Little does Doyle know that this is more than just some local drug deal -- there is, yes, a French connection, represented by an old drug lord played by Fernando Rey, veteran of many Bunuel films. And the big deal involves a few million dollars in pure cocaine. The old French guy shows up in New York, and proceeds to make the deal work.
Doyle, Schnieder and some federal cops soon get on the case , and they follow the guys around. Doyle ends up tracking the old French guy through the streets, and eventually, in the subway. After a while it becomes pretty apparent that the drug lord knows that somebody is following him (in some funny shots of the two of the walking in and out of the subway). This leads up to one of the old French guy's henchmen trying to shoot Doyle in a sniper attack, which then leads to the famous car chase scene.
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