The French Connection (1971) - Working with Gene Hackman

Director William Friedkin at the Academy Event “The French Connection (1971)” on October 7, 2016 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

[@johnnyberetta9533]

Gene Hackman has always been one of my favourite actors. He strikes me as jut the nicest person. He smiles a lot and doesn't walk around with a huge ego, like many motion picture stars do. He was a gift to Hollywood

[@neelabhraroy4238]

That explains how Hackman gave such a sensational performance in Mississippi Burning

[@jamesdrynan]

neelab: I thought the same thing when Friedkin mentioned that.

[@roquefortfiles]

Friedkin is one of the great 70's directors. This guy is a film school.

[@hengulbarua5256]

RIP William Friedkin, one of the true greats!

[@shaunpenne1840]

Given his reputation, he's incredibly funny and charming! A brilliant, old school director!! Hollywood will never have another like him!!

[@hithisisderek237]

Friedkin is one of the greatest directors of all time with a rare method and drive. You certainly don't hear of directing like this anymore.

[@gatewayski1]

I preferred Peter Bogdanovich during this period.

[@DarkeningSkies1]

Freidkin slapping the real priest on the set of "The Exorcist" to get a decent reaction to another character's death is still my favorite story regarding W.F.

[@tomhamilton5261]

Brilliant director and fascinating speaker. Always interesting to listen to.

[@MrPaulDewdney]

It would be no exaggeration to say that I have watched The French Connection at least 30 times, in truth probably nearer 40, my number one favourite film of all time, a must-see at least once a year (with FCII on the same sitting, well it would be rude not wouldn't it!) I only went to see Killer Joe because William Friedkin directed it, and indeed it has his fingerprint all over it!

[@edkeaton1085]

Gene Hackman's performance was the key to his driven and intense portrayal of "Popeye Doyle" in the film. All along, I thought that Friedkin's constant verbal barrage was just some on set tension between himself and Hackman. In reality, it was the fuel that Hackman needed to give a dynamic performance, which would work in his favor and result in his first Academy Award win.

[@daniloab9701]

the most badass director of all time, the french connection & the exorcist

[@it15]

& sorcerer

[@InsideManyAk]

and BUG

[@tirzan1988]

@@InsideManyAk "To live and die in L.A."

[@InsideManyAk]

@@tirzan1988 havent seen that one! Im watching it tonight thx man

[@jeshkam]

i love his sense of humor :))

[@luxi378]

It's like you hang on his every word... R.I.P. a true artist.

[@ediebarry4648]

Gene Hackman in “Young Frankenstein.” Soo good.

[@jamesdrynan]

Fascinating to hear these background stories from Friedkin. Of course, Hackman had delivered superb performances in Bonnie & Clyde and I Never Sang for my Father before doing the French Connection. Friedkin also directed The Boys in the Band in 1970.

[@carrrexx7190]

Freidken genius!

[@gregmonks9708]

This is so true about directors and actors. A lot of actors have to be kept on a short leash in order to stop them from trying to take control. I have a long list of actors in mind that are only as good as the director.

[@bernhardottomond9386]

Uma piscada de olho uma balançada de ombro,Gene Hackmann o.maior ladrão de cenas do cinema !🎉

[@philokevetch8691]

He wasn't that nice person but his work speakes for itself.

[@johnnyllooddte3415]

he was born san bernadino.. but it was a rural town back then too

[@MaddenManification]

Gene Hackman was from San Bernadino, California, not Dundee, Illinois. His family moved from California to Danville, Illinois. Sorry William Friedkin.

[@billrusso8250]

So what?

[@jimhardiman3836]

Wow you just totally owned William Friedkin. I totally want to have your babies.

[@apseudonym]

friedkin: this is an embarrassing story but I negged him into giving his best performance

[@komoleeray687]

Hackman and Friedkin. Both tough guys as well as great artists. Where are the true tough guy artists now? Action movies these days are filled with gym junkie man-children ( Tatum/ The Rock/VIN Diesel/Wahlberg)..toughness is mental ..not physical

[@poetcomic1]

"Gym junkie man-children" I am going to save that and use it!

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

Jake Gyllenhaal movies r pretty good at showing mental strength and determination, but yeah ur right too much focus on insane bodies. What i love is that 70s movies however crazy always showed very real people, not super models, not hyper-jacked buff people, that started in the 80s tbf, and went away in the 90s and came back. But yeah no real action stars based on intelligence, not like Harrison Ford, or Jack Nicholson, or even fucking Clint Eastwood who wasn’t muscled he was just a badass. I mean give me Magnum Force and Eiger Sanction any day.

[@poetcomic1]

He mentions the hell that Shelly Duvall went through with Kubrick for a YEAR. Her terror is the key to the success of that picture.

[@reptongeek]

But given that Shelley Duvall had problems afterwards, the ends didn't justify the means in that case. As William Fredkin says it's not something he would recommend

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

@@reptongeekabsolutely, not deserved at all, also becuz for some reason she still got fucking hate from critics and from audiences afterwards, even a Razzie Award which is bullshit. Still I think its one of the best performances I’ve seen sheerly for how realistic it in portraying a domestic abuse victim, if that makes any sense, cuz thats what she’s performing as. But considering what an effect it had on her its completely and utterly wrong what Kubrick did, and honestly its something Hitchcock thought was okay too with torturing the actress for a ‘better performance’, its sickening, Kubrick is a genius but its no excuse emotionally abusing someone and making them sick and stress out of their life. Ppl can give excuses about how she was exaggerating etc etc but its abuse and exploitation, im not cancelling him it was wrong then and its wrong now to treat a human like that

[@lxgaucher]

William Friedkin is one of the greatest directors of all time. "The French Connection", "The Exorcist", "Sorcerer", "To Live and Die in L.A.", ... all amazing films, and they'll never be equaled. Francis Ford Coppola is probably the only one who comes close in generating such quality. No, don't bother mentioning that inbred accordion-head Tarantino. Not even close.

[@kangaroo3708]

What’s with the Tarantino insult? It came completely out of nowhere…. I love friedkin and his films but I think Siney Lumet, the coen brothers, PT Anderson are all just as good

[@WalterFrith]

According to Wikipedia, Hackman was born in San Bernardino, California and not in Illinois.

[@ThalesPo]

He doesn't look 81 here.

[@nigelgunson2038]

I've heard that gene could be difficult to work with. Still, he's a great actor. Up there with brando, pacino etc.

[@sahej6939]

Some Actors say Gene Hackman won’t talk to them off set /off scene

[@mutinyonthekitkat]

I'm not from the US but close my eyes and I can imagine its Trump talking about making The French Connection. Voice is similar.

[@turbodick94]

"that's what police work was then" no, that's what racism was then.

[@turbodick94]

I love william friedkin but saying that racism is somehow a part of the actual work of policing is like saying alcoholism is part of the work of truck driving

[@Regi869]

This dude sounds like Trump.

[@painkiller1968]

Someone's living in your head rent free.

[@RD22]

Very overrated film.....

[@UsmanKhan-gg6fi]

The French Connection. The Exorcist. Sorcerer. Cruising. Killer Joe. Live and Die in LA. Friedkin is a phenomenal filmmaker.

[@ganglabesh]

BUG