French Connection II (1975)

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Alexander Jacobs (screenplay) and
Robert Dillon (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 May 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

THE FRENCH CONNECTION was only the beginning-THIS is the climax

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Narcotics | Detective | Trolleybus | Neo Noir | Seaport

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

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
Cathleen Nesbitt	...	The Old Lady
Samantha Llorens	...	Denise
André Penvern	...	Bartender
Reine Prat	...	Young Girl on the Beach
Raoul Delfosse	...	Dutch Captain
Ham-Chau Luong	...	Japanese Captain (as Ham Chau Luong)
Jacques Dynam	...	Inspector Genevoix
Malek Kateb	...	Algerian Chief (as Malek Eddine)
Pierre Collet	...	Old Pro
Alexandre Fabre	...	Young Inspector
Jean-Pierre Zola	...	Dumpy Policeman
Manu Pluton	...	Murdered Arab (as Pluton)
Daniel Vérité	...	1st Guard Hotel Tangers
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean-Marc Allègre	...	(uncredited)
Roland Blanche	...	Arrested Man (uncredited)
Patrick Bouchitey	...	(uncredited)
Philippe Brizard	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Paul Mercey	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Hal Needham	...	Doyle Kidnapper (uncredited)
Ambroise Perrin	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
John Frankenheimer

Writing credits
Alexander Jacobs		(screenplay) and
Robert Dillon		(screenplay) &
Laurie Dillon		(screenplay)
Robert Dillon		(story) &
Laurie Dillon		(story)
Pete Hamill		uncredited

Produced by
Robert L. Rosen	....	producer

Original Music by
Don Ellis

Cinematography by
Claude Renoir		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom Rolf

Casting by
Margot Capelier

Production Design by
Jacques Saulnier

Set Decoration by
Charles Merangel		(as Charles Mérangel)

Makeup Department
Alex Archambault	....	hairdresser
Alex Archambault	....	makeup artist
Monique Archambault	....	hairdresser
Monique Archambault	....	makeup artist

Production Management
René Fargéas	....	unit production manager (as René Fargeas)
Robert Fugier	....	unit production manager
Pierre Saint-Blancat	....	production manager (as Pierre Saint Blancat)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thierry Chabert	....	assistant director
Gwen M. Field	....	assistant director
Marc Monnet	....	second unit director
Bernard Stora	....	assistant director
Pierre Tati	....	assistant director (as Pierre Tatischeff)

Art Department
Daniel Braunschweig	....	propman

Sound Department
Bernard Bats	....	sound recording mixer
Don Hall	....	sound effects editor
William Hartman	....	sound effects editor
Edward Rossi	....	sound effects editor
Theodore Soderberg	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Logan Frazee	....	special effects

Stunts
Hal Needham	....	stunt coordinator
Odile Astie	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Philippe Brun	....	camera operator
Eugène Herrly	....	key grip (as Eugene Herrly)
Charles-Henri Montel	....	camera operator (as Charles-Henry Montel)
Serge Moritz	....	still photographer
Jacques Touillaud	....	chief electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Pierre Nourry	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Catherine Kelber	....	assistant editor
George Trirogoff	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Don Ellis	....	conductor
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor

Other crew
Lucie Lichtig	....	script supervisor
Robert Monosmith	....	production auditor

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1976) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Fox-MGM Film (1975) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• MGM-Fox Films (1975) (Finland) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• DeLuxe Laboratories  color
• Laboratoires LTC  laboratory
• Panavision  Panaflex camera and lenses by
• Westheimer Company  titles

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:X (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | UK:18 (video rating) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Brazil:16 | Canada:18A (video rating) | Finland:K-16 (1988) (video rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The heroin processing lab was built by the Corsican mafia, and was so realistic that the entire set had to be guarded by French police when it wasn't in being used by the film crew. The mafia also advised on the methods used by drug smugglers to get heroin in the US (concealing the drug in freighter weights) and, according to John Frankenheimer, organized the permits for the traffic jam during the chase at the end of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the beginning of the movie, when Doyle arrives with his suitcases at the dock, a girl in a flowered dress and a boy in a yellow shirt run past him towards his right-hand side. In the next shot, when we see Doyle from the front, the same girl and boy are climbing up on a fence on his left-hand side.

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.

Movie Connections:

References Sacco e Vanzetti (1971)

Unnecessary but still very good sequel.

The masterpiece that "The French Connection" was and still is, never needed a sequel. "The French Connection" and its mysterious ending were fine as it was. "French Connection II" focuses on 'Popeye' Doyle who takes revenge on the drug smuggler Alain Charnier, not in New York this time but Marseille, France. It's unnecessary all but still this movie is a very good one!

Although the visual style is pretty much similar as in "The French Connection" the movie here relies more on a faster pace and also has just a bit more action, thanks to action specialist director John Frankenheimer. The atmosphere however is not as good, simply because Marseille, although it has its charm, simply ain't no New York.

I also really missed 'Cloudy' Russo in this movie. Sure, 'Popeye' Doyle's character is strong enough to carry the entire movie but he just ain't the same without 'Cloudy' by his side.

There are more than enough good moments that make up for these losses, the ending for example is really brilliant and I absolutely loved it!

Once you've seen "The French Connection" this isn't really a must see but nevertheless, it's a very good movie and perfectly watchable.

8/10