Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

Katherine and I are watching the Academy Award-winning movies since 1969. Yesterday, having watched Midnight Cowboy (1969) and Patton (1970) in previous weeks, we watched The French Connection (1971). I had never seen it, though of course I had heard about it. (Now I know where the name "Popeye Doyle" comes from!) I hate to say it, but I disliked The French Connection almost as much as I disliked Patton. I'll give five reasons:

1. The characters were sorely undeveloped. Roy Scheider's character was a facade of a human being. About all he did is sit in the car with the Gene Hackman character. We learned nothing about him: not about his background, not about his family or education, not about what led him to police work, not about how he hooked up with Doyle. Even the Doyle character was undeveloped, which was downright weird. The film was short (104 minutes). Why not add 30 minutes and fill in these important details?
2. The opening scene, in France, made no sense. I still have no idea what was happening or why it was included.
3. There were far too many stakeout scenes. Half the movie consisted of Hackman and Scheider sitting in cars or standing on street corners! Ridiculous!
4. Police officers don't act the way these two did (thankfully).
5. The French Connection (1971) is a blatant ripoff of To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). It's interesting that William Friedkin directed both movies. It took him 14 years, but he finally got it right.