The French Connection (1971): cast, story & where to watch
1971 · Film · ★ 7.5
Released in 1971, The French Connection is an action, thriller and crime film directed by William Friedkin, running about 104 minutes. “There are no rules and no holds barred when Popeye cuts loose!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Tough narcotics detective 'Popeye' Doyle is in hot pursuit of a suave French drug dealer who may be the key to a huge heroin-smuggling operation.
Who’s in it. The French Connection stars Gene Hackman as Jimmy Doyle, Fernando Rey as Alain Charnier, Roy Scheider as Buddy Russo and Tony Lo Bianco as Sal Boca, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.5/10, The French Connection has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $41.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home and Google Play Movies. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The French Connection page.
If you liked it. Fans of The French Connection tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The French Connection (1971)?
- In US, The French Connection is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The French Connection worth watching?
- The French Connection holds an audience score of 7.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, thriller and crime. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The French Connection?
- The French Connection stars Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco and Marcel Bozzuffi.
- When was The French Connection released?
- The French Connection was released in 1971, with a runtime of about 104 minutes.