The French Connection is a 1971 American crime film directed by William Friedkin. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the non-fiction book by Robin Moore. It tells the story of New York Police Department detectives named “Popeye” Doyle and Buddy Russo, whose real-life counterparts were Narcotics Detectives Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso. Egan and Grosso also appear in the film, as characters other than themselves.Read More »
Criterion wrote:
Astonishing Alpine location photography and a young Robert Redford in one of his earliest starring roles are just two of the visual splendors of Michael Ritchie’s visceral debut feature, Downhill Racer. In a beautifully understated performance, Redford is David Chappellet, a ruthlessly ambitious skier competing for Olympic gold with an underdog American team in Europe, and Gene Hackman provides tough support as the coach who tries to temper the upstart’s narcissistic drive for glory. With a subtle screenplay by acclaimed novelist James Salter, Downhill Racer is a vivid character portrait buoyed by breathtakingly fast and furious imagery that brings the viewer directly into the mind of the competitor.Read More »
Synopsis:
In 1906, the popular Western Post newspaper sponsored a demanding cross-country horse race, attracting a motley crew of ambitious contestants. With a tempting $2,000 prize, the bold competitors–including the plucky former prostitute, Miss Jones; the ex-Rough Riders, Luke Matthews and Sam Clayton; a Mexican vaquero with a terrible toothache; the English gentleman, Sir Harry Norfolk; an ageing cowhand, and the arrogant cowboy, Carbo–will have to endure 700 miles of unforgiving desert and rugged terrain. The race is on. Who has what it takes to bite the bullet?Read More »
Synopsis
Mississippi Burning is a 1988 crime drama film based on the investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in the U.S. state of Mississippi in 1964. The movie focuses on two fictional FBI agents (portrayed by Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe) who investigate the murders. Hackman’s character is loosely based on FBI agent John Proctor, and Dafoe’s character is very loosely based on agent Joseph Sullivan.Read More »