The French Connection

‘The French Connection’ is perhaps Hackman’s greatest movie of all time.

In the 1971 noir thriller, Hackman - who starred opposite Roy Scheider - plays an NYPD detective in the Narcotics Bureau who, together with his partner, discovers a drug smuggling ring in Marseille and embark on a cat-and-mouse chase to catch the ring leader.

‘The French Connection’ earned Gene the first Oscar win of his career as he took home the prize for Best Actor.