The Exorcist to Sorcerer, he knew how to apply high tension to every frame of a movie.
The great car chase scene that made The French Connection so famous was ahead of its time and only becomes more impactful within the context of the movie. In the anxiety-inducing scene, detective Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) desperately runs after Charnier (Fernando Rey) but misses him when the drug dealer gets on an elevated train. In order to reach his target, Doyle chases Charnier with a vehicle under the tracks, amid Brooklyn's chaotic car traffic. The car chase sequence has aged incredibly well, but the reason for its authentic feel is quite shocking.
Why The French Connection Car Chase Was So Dangerous
As surprising as it seems, William Friedkin had no permission to film the car chase the way it was done, which is why The French Connection could never be made today. The driver assigned for the shoot was Bill Hickman, and to get the best out of him, Friedkin taunted the stunt performer by questioning his abilities. Hickman then invited Friedkin to a quick "showcase." This experiment ended up providing most of the footage of the actual scene, with Hickman recklessly driving 90 miles per hour for over 20 blocks across Brooklyn.
To film the sequence, a camera was mounted on the front of the car, and Friedkin himself operated the camera next to Hickman's shoulder. Most of the driving footage came from one take after Friedkin instructed the actors and extras before getting into the car. As for the train involved in the scene, Friedkin bribed the head of the Transit Authority to use one of New York City's elevated trains, complying with the officer's demands of $40,000 and, as specifically requested, a one-way ticket to Jamaica (via THR).
William Friedkin Regrets The Way He Shot The Car Chase
The French Connection's car chase holds up today, yet William Friedkin itted, "It was foolish," in an interview with the American Film Institute. Although the director didn't regret the satisfying results of the scene, he openly condemned the legal implications it could've led to. Shooting the car chase without permission was the least of the problems: as talented as Hickman was, the smallest mistake could've caused a real crash and hurt many innocent civilians. The only security measure Friedkin took while filming the scene was sticking a police gumball to the car used in the scene, but the siren would hardly be effective had Hickman lost control of the vehicle.
