The French Connection

The pace of this famous film is slow by contemporary standards, but there's undeniably something charming about it. Many of the plot turns (incredulous police chief v. investigator with a sixth sense, federal agent with an axe to grind, etc.) have become so standard in crime films that they seem terribly familiar. And the thick fake blood they used looks just plain silly.

But Popeye's obsession with "Frog 1" is classic, and so are the scenes of 1970's New York City. The city is authentic in ways that are considered shameful today. Popeye's fervor in tailing the Frenchmen is muted but fierce. My favorite scene is when he stands in plain view outside the opulent restaurant where the Frenchmen dine. His partner brings him a lousy cup of coffee which he can't finish. He pours it out on the street while a waiter pours a fine brew for the well-heeled dealers. Milton: "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven"

The French Connection