The French Connection II, Blu-ray (1975)
Starring: Gene Hackman, Bernard Fresson, Jean-Pierre Castaldi, Pierre Collet, Fernando Rey
Director: John Frankenheimer
Studio: Fox [Release date: Feb. 24, 09]
Video: 1.85:1 for 16:9 color, 1080p HD
Audio: English, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English, Spanish & French PCM mono
Subtitles: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese
Music: Don Ellis Orchestra
Extras: A Conversation with Gene Hackman, Commentary track by Gene Hackman and Producer Robert Rosen, Commentary track by John Frankenheimer, “Frankenheimer: In Focus,” Isolated score track, Still galleries
Length: 119 minutes
Rating: *****
During the big shoot-out on Rikker’s Island at the end of the first French Connection, “Frog One” Charnier makes his escape and returns to France. Part II opens with the arrival in Marseilles of “Popeye” Doyle, without his partner. He knows absolutely no French and doesn’t realize he is being used by his new partner French Inspector Barthelemi to draw Charnier out into the open. Doyle goes off on his own to seek out Charnier (he is the only one who knows what the man looks like), and shockingly ends up abducted by Charnier’s henchmen and forced to become a heroin addict.
Upon his release back to the French detectives, Doyle is force to go cold turkey, an uncompromising scene that is not easy to take. Afterwards he is more determined than ever to get Charnier, but Barthelemi asks for his passport and he is to leave the country instead. He convinces the inspector to stake out a suspicious ship in dry dock and the two of them are nearly drowned when the smugglers let water into the dock. Since Doyle has saved Barthelemi’s life, he gets him to hang on for one more effort to chase down Charnier. How Doyle single-handedly gets his man against all odds provides the unforgettable conclusion.
Not quite as gritty and grainy as the original, The French Connection II concentrates more on wide-angle shots of the Marseilles harbor area and scenery. But there is still plenty of grit, and examples of both the crudity of Popeye’s whole personality, as well as empathy for his unbending determination. One telling scene has him standing for hours in the cold rain drinking some terrible coffee while staking out Charnier and an accomplice who are enjoying escargot and fine wine in a classy restaurant across the street.
The Blu-ray transfer looks great, and Don Ellis’ score for this sequel is more tonal and rich-sounding than for the original. The presence of Frankenheimer as director made this sequel just as good as the original, and the lengthy featurette on his career made me want to view again some of his filmic masterpieces, such as Burt Lancaster in The Train.
— John Sunier
