20 Things You Didn't Know About Layer Cake

16. French Connection Agreed To Be Featured For One Very Specific Reason

Layer Cake Daniel Craig
Sony Pictures Classics

One of the movie's most memorable moments is its opening montage, where XXXX theorises that even class-A drugs will one day be made legal, at which point we cut to a series of imaginary shop shelves selling French Connection UK-branded cocaine and ecstasy.

Understandably few real-life brands would actually want to lend their names to such a risky piece of marketing, but the production was in luck, given that one of the film's executive producers was Stephen Marks, the founder of French Connection UK.

And so, Matthew Vaughn didn't need to waste time trying to convince other real brands to put their name on the film, nor come up with a goofy faux-brand: they got one of the biggest names in the world hassle-free.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.