The Popeye Doyle (The French Connection 1971)

Inspired by the classic pork pie worn by GENE HACKMAN in "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" Directed by then 32-year-old William Friedkin, and written by Ernest Tidyman (with a little help from legendary director Howard Hawks!), and based on Robin Moore's true story novel, "The French Connection" broke virtually every rule in the movie making book. A great movie is one that has a scene that forever stays in your mind... yet "The French Connection" has a dozen! The "bar bust" in the beginning (where the now famous "Poughkeepsie" line is first heard coming from Popeye to a bewildered suspect); to the excruciating ironic inner-cutting lunch scene between the fancy warm New York restaurant with the French Drug Dealer Fernando Rey, and Popeye's cold piece of pizza while on stakeout on the freezing New York street just outside; to, of course the famous car chase, which would change the course of screeching tires forever. The film went on to win five Oscarså in 1971, including the Best Picture Osca