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The 1971 film “The French Connection,” directed by William Friedkin, is widely celebrated for its authentic portrayal of New York City’s gritty landscape during the early 1970s. This groundbreaking crime thriller, which won five Academy Awards including Best Picture, utilized numerous locations throughout the five boroughs to create its distinctive documentary-like atmosphere. Before beginning my detailed exploration of the film’s New York City locations, it’s important to note that “The French Connection” stands as one of the most ambitious location shoots ever undertaken in the city, utilizing 86 separate filming sites and capturing a New York landscape that has substantially changed over the subsequent decades.

Manhattan Locations

Manhattan served as a critical backdrop for many pivotal scenes in “The French Connection.” The film effectively utilized various neighborhoods to establish the urban landscape against which the drug trafficking investigation unfolds. One notable location was Le Copain restaurant at 891 1st Avenue, where Charnier dines during a key sequence in the film. The busy streets of midtown provided several important settings, including the scene where Doyle waits outside a restaurant near 50th Street and First Avenue.

The affluent Upper East Side was featured prominently, with Weinstock’s apartment filmed near 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue, close to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This upscale neighborhood also housed the Westbury Hotel at 15 East 69th Street, which served as Charnier’s accommodations in the film. Another significant Upper East Side location was Ronaldo Maia Flowers at 27 East 67th Street, where the clever Charnier gives Detective Doyle the slip in one of the film’s most tension-filled moments.

The Roosevelt Hotel at 45th Street and Madison Avenue appears in a critical scene when Detective Russo first encounters “Frog One,” Alain Charnier. Grand Central Terminal also features prominently, with the 42nd Street Shuttle platform serving as the setting for a tense pursuit sequence. The Lower East Side, with its unique character and gritty atmosphere, provided several important locations, including Ratner’s Restaurant at 138 Delancey Street, a famous Kosher deli where Sal and Angie emerge during surveillance. According to location historians, Ratner’s was once a hangout for gangsters Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel before it finally closed its doors in 2002.

Additional Manhattan locations included scenes shot in Little Italy, specifically at the 177 Mulberry Street drop point, and the foot of Manhattan Bridge at South Street and Market Street, where Doyle is shown emerging from a bar in his disheveled state.

Brooklyn’s Starring Role

Brooklyn provided some of the most memorable locations in “The French Connection,” most notably the setting for what many film historians consider one of the greatest car chase sequences in cinematic history. This iconic chase was filmed in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, running under the BMT West End Line (then the B train, now the D train). The sequence specifically follows Stillwell Avenue, continues along 86th Street, and then turns right onto New Utrecht Avenue, culminating near the 62nd Street station. This complex action sequence took an astonishing five weeks to film and has become an enduring piece of cinema history.

Beyond the chase, Brooklyn offered numerous other locations that contributed to the film’s authentic atmosphere. Bushwick provided the setting for Sal and Angie’s Cafe at 91 Wyckoff Avenue. The now-demolished Rio Piedras theater at 914 Broadway on the Bushwick/Bed-Stuy border served as the location for the opening Santa Claus chase sequence. According to historical records, this was originally the Loew’s Broadway, built in 1904 with seating for 2,000, before being torn down in 1988, leaving a vacant lot in its place.

The Marlboro Housing Project, located near Avenues V, W, and X off Stillwell Avenue, was used to represent where Detective Popeye Doyle lived. Other significant Brooklyn locations included Columbia Heights at Squibb Hill, where Sal parks the Lincoln automobile that contains the smuggled heroin, and Remsen Street, where Charnier and Nicoli observe the car being unloaded.

Queens, The Bronx, and Island Locations

While Manhattan and Brooklyn received the most screen time, “The French Connection” utilized locations throughout the city’s other boroughs as well. In Queens, several scenes were filmed in the Ridgewood neighborhood, specifically along Forest Avenue and Putnam Avenue, as well as Onderdonk Avenue. The film also shot scenes in Maspeth, creating a comprehensive view of the borough.

The Bronx was represented in the film through scenes shot in the Hunt’s Point area, though these locations weren’t as extensively used as those in other boroughs. Two island locations proved critical to the film’s narrative: Randalls Island in the East River appears in several sequences, while Wards Island served as the setting for the film’s climactic final shootout.

The Triborough Bridge to Randall’s Island toll bridge at the east end of 125th Street was used for scenes where Sal Boca is tailed by the detectives. This infrastructure element helped connect the film’s various geographical components while providing a stark visual backdrop for the unfolding investigation.

Historical Context and Changes

“The French Connection” captured New York City during a particularly challenging period in its history. As noted by filming location experts, the city’s decay is front and center in nearly every frame, from “abandoned, grime-covered buildings and derelict cars to crumbling warehouses and trash-strewn lots”. This visual representation of urban decay provided an authentic backdrop for the story’s dark themes.

Producer Philip D’Antoni faced significant logistical challenges during production, as the film was shot primarily during New York’s unpredictable winter months of December through February to match when the actual events occurred. These weather conditions added another layer of difficulty to an already complex location shoot but contributed significantly to the film’s realistic atmosphere.

It’s worth noting that the film provides a fascinating historical document of the city’s appearance during this period. Some shots even captured the World Trade Center under construction, with the completed North Tower and partially completed South Tower visible in background scenes at the shipyard after Devereaux arrives in New York.

Over the decades since filming, many of these locations have undergone significant changes. The beautification of New York City over the past 25 years has come at a price, with many classic New York establishments and mom-and-pop stores replaced by more generic businesses. The gritty New York captured in “The French Connection” largely exists only in films now, providing an important historical record of the city’s visual character during the early 1970s.

Conclusion

“The French Connection” stands as a landmark achievement in location filming, utilizing the authentic landscapes of New York City to create a visceral, documentary-like crime thriller. The film’s extensive use of real locations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and the city’s islands provided viewers with an unvarnished look at urban America in the early 1970s. From the iconic car chase beneath Brooklyn’s elevated subway lines to tense surveillance sequences in Manhattan’s diverse neighborhoods, the city itself becomes a central character in the narrative.

Beyond its cinematic achievements, “The French Connection” serves as an important visual document of New York during a specific historical period, capturing landscapes and establishments that have since been transformed or disappeared entirely. The film’s commitment to location shooting contributed significantly to its enduring impact and continues to influence filmmakers seeking to capture authentic urban environments on screen.

Sources
[1] The French Connection (1971) – Filming & production – IMDb
[2] Photographing The French Connection – American Cinematographer
[3] The French Connection (film) – Wikipedia
[4] The French Connection | Plot, Cast, Awards, & Facts | Britannica
[5] The French Connection (1971) – IMDb
[6] Filming Locations for The French Connection – Movie Locations
[7] French Connection II – Wikipedia
[8] Filming Locations of The French Connection – MovieLoci.com
[9] French Connection Tour – Tapatalk
[10] The Filming Locations of The French Connection, Then and Now
[11] The French Connection Film Locations
[12] French Connection – Wikipedia
[13] Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle – Wikipedia
[14] The French Connection (film) – Wikiquote
[15] Exclusive | Secrets of ‘The French Connection’ on 50th anniversary