20 Movies That Prove That The 1970s Was The Best Decade For Film

12. The French Connection

'Doyle is bad news - but a good cop' The French Connection is one of the best crime thrillers of all time. The film, which is about a pair of New York narcotics cops who uncover a drug smuggling operation, set a new standard for police films and features one of the most intense car chases in cinema history. The film's director William Friedkin decided to shoot the film with a realism hitherto only seen in documentary films and the results are something to behold. The car chase, in particular, makes you feel like you are a witness to something that is really happening. This could be because Friedkin didn't bother to secure permits to shoot the chase and filmed it illegally with the help of off-duty NYPD officers. Many mistakes happened during the frantic chase and a man who was on his way to work had his car smashed into during the mayhem. He had no idea a car chase was being filmed. The material may just be a take on the old cops and robbers formula, but Friedkin's direction and the performances from Gene Hackman and Roy Schneider raise this one above the rest.