The Connection (1961)

A director tries to film a group of junkies in Leach's room while they are waiting for Cowboy to bring their heroin connection.

Director:

Shirley Clarke

Writers:

Jack Gelber (play), Jack Gelber (screenplay)

Stars:

William Redfield, Warren Finnerty, Garry Goodrow

Cast

Credited cast:
Warren Finnerty	...	Leach
Jerome Raphael	...	Solly
Garry Goodrow	...	Ernie
Jim Anderson	...	Sam
Carl Lee	...	Cowboy
Barbara Winchester	...	Sister Salvation
Henry Proach	...	Harry
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	J. J. Burden (as Roscoe Browne)
William Redfield	...	Jim Dunn
Freddie Redd	...	Piano Player
Jackie McLean	...	Sax player
Larry Richie	...	Drummer
Michael Mattos	...	Bass player
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Linda Veras	...	Siren

Storyline

Eight drug addicts are waiting for their connection in a New York apartment belonging to Leach. Jim Dunn, a budding filmmaker, has agreed to pay for the fix if the addicts will allow him to film the connection scene. After the men get their shots, they talk Dunn into trying heroin in order to understand the subject "first hand." He becomes ill and while sleeping, Leach takes an overdose that puts him into a coma. Dunn recovers, with the aid of the connection, and writes off the film as a failure.

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Plot Keywords:

heroin | drug addict | drugs | scene after end credits | scene during end credits | 

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Taglines:

The Decade's Most Controversial Play Becomes the Century's Most Controversial Film

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 1996 (France)

Also Known As:

A kapcsolat

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$167,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA)

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is credited with helping to launch the Cannes Film Festival's parallel section known as International Critics' Week. In 1961 the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics successfully lobbied to have the film shown at Cannes. The festival, recognizing the importance of the film, gave the critics a week to showcase films beginning the following year in 1962.

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Quotes

Cowboy: Man, I believe anything that's illegal is illegal because it makes more money for more people that way.

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Connections

Referenced in Inside the Actors Studio: Martin Scorsese (2002)

User Reviews

In Defense...

I'd like to clear up this jazz/heroin confusion (ignorance) that may stop you from watching this great film. Leach is the connection to Cowboy, and Cowboy is the connection to a dealer. The IMDb plot summary says that Cowboy is bringing "the connection" back to Leach's house, but he is really just bringing heroin. The fact that some of the people waiting for heroin are jazz musicians doesn't mean all jazz musicians were addicts, although most of the good ones were. With that said, I would advise any bee-bop fan to watch this film just for the amazing, and sole, footage of Blue Note heavies Jackie McLean and Freddie Redd. You will most likely also like the free-jazz directorial treatment of what was originally a stage play. The film also deserves credit for it's honest portrayal (in 1961!) of heroin addiction, neither glamorizing nor condemning it. The only problem I had was the slightly over-theatrical styles of some of the actors. Overacting did become the Leach character, however: "OHHH, MY BOIL!!!" If you liked "The Incident" or "The Pawnbroker," you'll like this one.