French Connection II (1975)

"Popeye" Doyle travels to Marseille to find Alain Charnier, the drug smuggler who eluded him in New York.

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Alexander Jacobs (screenplay), Robert Dillon (screenplay)

Stars:

Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Bernard Fresson

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Hackman	...	Doyle
Fernando Rey	...	Alain Charnier
Bernard Fresson	...	Barthélémy
Philippe Léotard	...	Jacques (as Philippe Leotard)
Ed Lauter	...	General Brian
Charles Millot	...	Miletto
Jean-Pierre Castaldi	...	Raoul (as Jean - Pierre Castaldi)
Cathleen Nesbitt	...	'The Old Lady' / The Old Lady
Samantha Llorens	...	Denise
André Penvern	...	Bartender
Reine Prat	...	Young Girl on the Beach
Raoul Delfosse	...	Dutch Captain
Luang Ham Chau	...	Japanese Captain (as Ham Chau Luong)
Jacques Dynam	...	Inspector Genevoix
Malek Kateb	...	Algerian Chief (as Malek Eddine)

Storyline

New York narcotics detective Popeye Doyle follows the trail of the French connection smuggling ring to France where he teams up with the gendarmes to hunt down the ringleader.

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Plot Keywords:

organized crime | drug traffic | detective | sequel to best picture winner | american abroad | 

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Taglines:

Don't miss the final showdown!

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gene Hackman and André Penvern would later work together again in March or Die (1977).

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Goofs

During the first bar scene, Popeye Doyle's drink goes from a small shot to a nearly full glass and back again during his attempted conversation with the French bartender.

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Quotes

Brigidier General William Brian, Charnier's Accomplice: [in a restaurant,drinking wine] I wish this Blanc De Blanc would travel,I'd like to take twenty cases with me back to Washington.
Alain Charnier: All you Americans have that misconception.Wine will travel, it is people who have difficulty.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: MARSEILLES

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Alternate Versions

For the first few showings of the film, it was approximately 8 minutes longer. 20th Century Fox took out a couple of scenes without director John Frankenheimer's consent. One scene involved Doyle and the girl who played beach volleyball. This footage has yet to be found, and was not included on the 2001 DVD release.

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Connections

Referenced in San Babila-8 P.M. (1976)

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Soundtracks

La Marseillaise
(uncredited)
(aka "National Anthem of France")
Music by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
Performed by the Band during the money exchange

User Reviews

You put me next to the shithouse!

The sequel to the massive hit "French Connection" pales a bit in comparison to the original,but it also adds more depth to the story and Popeye Doyle as a character.Gene Hackman almost outdoes his Oscar-winning performance here as Popeye Doyle running loose in Marseille.The film is a bit uneven and exhausting,but the ultimate showdown is well crafted.The scenes when Doyle is on detox after getting injected with heroin add to the overall dramatic depth of the film,making the original look more action-oriented and systematic.

Ergo does this movie come out as a sort of theatric depiction of Popeye Doyle and his pursuit for Charnier.The problem with this film is that its too long,but I guess that couldn't have been avoided when you are Frankenheimer.Hackman keeps his humour and treats us with a few classical Popeye lines,my favorite being:"You put me next to the shithouse!".8 out of 10.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

21 May 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

French Connection II

Filming Locations:

France

Box Office

Budget:

$4,340,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$12,484,444

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,484,444

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1