THE FRENCH CONNECTION II

US, 1975, 119 minutes, Colour.
Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Bernard Fresson, Jean- Pierre Castaldi, Charles Milton.
Directed by John Frankenheimer.

The original was New York based and focused on Popeye Doyle and the methods of the U.S. police. The sequel is set entirely in Marseilles and focuses more on the character of Popeye Doyle, although giving strong attention to U.S. methods versus French. Gene Hackman repeats his role, is excellent and is given more scope for acting, especially in his long self-pitying speeches after he has been drugged by the Connection and his cronies. The film builds up slowly, with great attention to Marseilles detail, and then culminates with vivid action sequences in a dock and a strenuous chase (Hackman on foot this time) and a dramatically abrupt ending. Excellent strong drama.

1. Audience expectations from the first film? The expectations of the police genre. the character of Popeye Doyle, the drug world? The success of this particular film?

2. Can this film stand without the first film? How important was the change of director? The change of the New York locations to exclusively Marseilles locations?

3. How well did this film fit into the police genre of the seventies? Audience interest in these films, the love and hate attitude towards the police, the police violence. the administration of justice? The contrast of American justice with French justice? Personality clashes?

4. The importance of the Marseilles setting? The long opening sequences to create atmosphere? How well was this done? The Yank in France? His arrival in the taxi, his observing of the cutting up of the fish? The hostility of the American towards the French? Their hostility towards him? Their giving him an outside office? The fact that he was being set up by America? The Marseilles~ incident and Popeye's interference leading to the death of the agent? The importance of the long sequences of Popeye wandering the city? His alienation from the city? His self confidence as an American? His treatment of the French police? For example his asking for mayonnaise? His night of drinking with the waiter?

5. Marseilles and the drug world? The role of Charnier? The intricate working of the traffickers? The wealth and the well-to-do? The details of Charnier's factory? The money involved? The shipping arrangements? The type of people involved? Audience hostility to Charnier?

6. The film stressed the character of Popeye. How well was the character portrayed? Gene Hackman's performance? The rough man, standing on his record, having killed people but not regretting it? His impulsiveness, e.g. in the incident with the French. his immediate violence, his skill in eluding his followers,. the importance of the motivation of Popeye? What motivated his fascist outlook? Was it entirely to be dismissed?

7. The importance of his capture? The horror of the drugs? The sequences of his torment and torture? Audience response to this on a human level? Sympathy for his character? The pathos of his rehabilitation? His suffering of addiction? The pitiable scenes? The importance of his drunken monologue and his talk about himself, baseball, his ambitions? How much insight into his character? How much admiration for his character? The sequence of his decision against taking more drugs?

8. The contribution of the sequence of the old lady? Charnier's mother, her advice to Popeye. her stealing his watch? A symbol of the world of Marseilles?

9. The character of Charnier., his methods, his relationship with his henchmen?

10. The dramatic impact of Popeye's burning of the hotel? Audience sympathy with this?

11. The impact of the drama at the docks, the shoot-out, the flooding, Popeye's saving the Frenchman? Their contribution to the action drama?

12. The detailed police work in tailing the leads to the factory? The attack and siege of the factory?

11. The culmination or the film in the chase? The significance of its being on foot? The way that it was filmed? Audience expectations from a French connection chase? The dramatic impact of Charnier's death? And the sudden ending of the film?

14. How well developed was the character of Barthelemy? The counterpart of Popeye? A Frenchman doing his job? Hostility to Americans? The grudging friendship? The final act of trust and its being rewarded?

15. A detailed presentation of police work, its dangers? The type of policemen?

16. The insight of the film into the world of drugs and drug abuse? The message?

17. The international co-operation? The clash of cultures and co-operation?

18. How good a film, police drama, action adventure, the study of the man?