This was an obvious choice for this project. There are a few cinematic moments where you would want to say you were there for the filming, and towards the top would be the car chase for The French Connection. In a desperate attempt to catch the hitman attempting to escape on a subway train, Gene Hackman’s Popeye Doyle speeds through the streets to keep up with the train moving above him. Limited by budget and time restrictions, the chase wasn’t carefully planned or storyboarded. It was cooked up by Friedkin, Stunt Driver Bill Hickman and Camera Operator Enrique Bravo. They filmed without permits on open streets. The only staged part was a moment where Doyle barely avoids colliding with a woman. While Friedkin has sense spoken against the reckless way the scene was filmed, it gives the chase an authenticity that hadn’t been seen on screens at the time.
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