French Connection II

Sequel to what was probably the best cop thriller of the seventies. The protagonist is still the New-York detective Popeye Doyle (again played irresistibly by Gene Hackman) and his great adversary is again the narcotics boss with the code name Frog One (Fernando Rey). Doyle has gone to colourful Marseilles, where he is completely out of place as a New-York cop and understands little of the machinations of the corrupt local police or other cultural habits of the legendary harbour city. Doyle is kidnapped by accomplices of Frog One and, as a captive, he is made addicted to heroin and then dumped as a helpless junk on the steps of the police station. In impressively played scenes by Hackman, that are unusually long for a thriller, Doyle goes 'cold turkey' and takes his revenge on the Big Frog. (GjZ)