The French Connection (film)
Updated: 12/10/2025, 9:05:38 PM Wikipedia source
The French Connection is a 1971 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, and Fernando Rey. The screenplay, by Ernest Tidyman, is based on Robin Moore's 1969 book of the same name about narcotics detectives Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso. It tells the story of their fictional counterparts, New York Police Department detectives Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle and Buddy "Cloudy" Russo, in pursuit of wealthy French heroin smuggler Alain Charnier (played by Rey). At the 44th Academy Awards, the film earned eight nominations and won five, for Best Picture, Best Actor (Hackman), Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Scheider), Best Cinematography and Best Sound Mixing. Tidyman also received a Golden Globe Award nomination, a Writers Guild of America Award, and an Edgar Award for his screenplay. The film's commercial and critical success also propelled both Hackman and Scheider to leading man status. A sequel, French Connection II, followed in 1975, with Hackman and Rey reprising their roles. The French Connection appeared on the American Film Institute's list of the best American films in 1998 and again in 2007, placing 70th the first time and 93rd the second. In 2005, the Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".
Infobox
Directed by
William Friedkin
Screenplay by
Ernest Tidyman
Based on
The French Connectionby Robin Moore
Produced by
Philip D'Antoni
Starring
mw- Gene Hackman Fernando Rey Roy Scheider Tony Lo Bianco Marcel Bozzuffi
Cinematography
Owen Roizman
Edited by
Gerald B. Greenberg
Music by
Don Ellis
Productioncompanies
Philip D'Antoni Productions Schine-Moore Productions
Distributed by
20th Century-Fox
Release date
October 7, 1971 (1971-10-07) (United States)
Running time
104 minutes
Country
United States
Languages
English French
Budget
$1.8–2.2 million
Box office
$75 million (worldwide theatrical rental)
Tables
· Awards and nominations
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Nominee(s)
Philip D'Antoni
Result
Won
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
William Friedkin
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Category
Roy Scheider
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium
Award
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium
Category
Ernest Tidyman
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
Owen Roizman
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Category
Gerald B. Greenberg
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Category
Christopher Newman and Theodore Soderberg
Nominee(s)
Nominated
American Cinema Editors Awards
American Cinema Editors Awards
Award
American Cinema Editors Awards
Category
Best Edited Feature Film
Nominee(s)
Gerald B. Greenberg
Result
Nominated
Belgrade Film Festival
Belgrade Film Festival
Award
Belgrade Film Festival
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Philip D'Antoni
Result
Won
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Philip D'Antoni
Result
Nominated
Best Direction
Best Direction
Award
Best Direction
Category
William Friedkin
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Award
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Category
Gene Hackman (also for The Poseidon Adventure)
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Category
Gerald B. Greenberg
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Sound
Best Sound
Award
Best Sound
Category
Christopher Newman and Theodore Soderberg
Nominee(s)
Nominated
David di Donatello Awards
David di Donatello Awards
Award
David di Donatello Awards
Category
Best Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Philip D'Antoni
Result
Won
Directors Guild of America Awards
Directors Guild of America Awards
Award
Directors Guild of America Awards
Category
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Nominee(s)
William Friedkin
Result
Won
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Award
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture
Nominee(s)
Ernest Tidyman
Result
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Award
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Director – Motion Picture
Best Director – Motion Picture
Award
Best Director – Motion Picture
Category
William Friedkin
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Award
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Category
Ernest Tidyman
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Golden Reel Awards
Golden Reel Awards
Award
Golden Reel Awards
Category
Best Sound Editing – Feature Film
Nominee(s)
Won
Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards
Award
Grammy Awards
Category
Best Instrumental Arrangement
Nominee(s)
Don Ellis – "Theme from The French Connection"
Result
Won
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee(s)
Won
National Board of Review Awards
National Board of Review Awards
Award
National Board of Review Awards
Category
Top Ten Films
Nominee(s)
4th Place
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee(s)
Won
National Film Preservation Board
National Film Preservation Board
Award
National Film Preservation Board
Category
National Film Registry
Nominee(s)
Inducted
National Society of Film Critics Awards
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Actor
Nominee(s)
Gene Hackman
Result
Nominated
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Film
Nominee(s)
Runner-up
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Gene Hackman
Nominee(s)
Won
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Award
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Category
Film Hall of Fame: Productions
Nominee(s)
Inducted
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium
Nominee(s)
Ernest Tidyman
Result
Won
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Philip D'Antoni | Won | |
| Best Director | William Friedkin | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Roy Scheider | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium | Ernest Tidyman | Won | ||
| Best Cinematography | Owen Roizman | Nominated | ||
| Best Film Editing | Gerald B. Greenberg | Won | ||
| Best Sound | Christopher Newman and Theodore Soderberg | Nominated | ||
| American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Feature Film | Gerald B. Greenberg | Nominated | |
| Belgrade Film Festival | Best Film | Philip D'Antoni | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Film | Philip D'Antoni | Nominated | |
| Best Direction | William Friedkin | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor in a Leading Role | Gene Hackman (also for The Poseidon Adventure) | Won | ||
| Best Film Editing | Gerald B. Greenberg | Won | ||
| Best Sound | Christopher Newman and Theodore Soderberg | Nominated | ||
| David di Donatello Awards | Best Foreign Film | Philip D'Antoni | Won | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | William Friedkin | Won | |
| Edgar Allan Poe Awards | Best Motion Picture | Ernest Tidyman | Won | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Won | ||
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Gene Hackman | Won | ||
| Best Director – Motion Picture | William Friedkin | Won | ||
| Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Ernest Tidyman | Nominated | ||
| Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing – Feature Film | Won | ||
| Grammy Awards | Best Instrumental Arrangement | Don Ellis – "Theme from The French Connection" | Won | |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Won | ||
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | 4th Place | ||
| Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Won | ||
| National Film Preservation Board | National Film Registry | Inducted | ||
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Nominated | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Runner-up | ||
| Best Actor | Gene Hackman | Won | ||
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Film Hall of Fame: Productions | Inducted | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium | Ernest Tidyman | Won | |
References
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- Tied with Walter Matthau for Kotch.
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