The French Connection (1971 Best Picture Winner)

The French Connection (1971 Best Picture Winner)

Author: Awesome Movie Year January 7, 2026 Duration: 1:14:39

The thirteenth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1971 features the Academy Awards Best Picture winner, William Friedkin’s The French Connection. Directed by William Friedkin, based on the book by Robin Moore, and starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey and Tony Lo Bianco, The French Connection was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won five, including Best Picture.

The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Greenspun in The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/08/archives/the-french-connection.html), Charles Champlin in the Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/archives/story/2022-08-26/from-the-archives-high-adventure-in-connection), and Pauline Kael in The New Yorker (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1971/10/30/urban-gothic).

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You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ 

Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.

All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.com

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Please like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1971 episode, featuring our producer David Rosen’s personal pick, Ted V. Mikels’ The Corpse Grinders.



Ever wonder what makes a particular year in cinema truly stand out? Awesome Movie Year digs into that very question, one remarkable film at a time. Co-hosted by film critic Josh Bell alongside filmmaker and comedian Jason Harris, this podcast picks a single, noteworthy year each season and meticulously explores what made it so special. Rather than broad overviews, every episode zooms in on a different movie from that chosen year, offering a deep dive into its impact, its cultural moment, and its lasting legacy. The conversations blend critical analysis with a genuine love for the medium, thanks to the hosts' complementary backgrounds. Produced by David Rosen of Piecing It Together for the All Points West Podcast Network, the show has a polished yet conversational feel. You’ll hear about blockbusters and hidden gems alike, all through the lens of why they mattered then and why they still resonate. It’s for anyone who loves to look beyond the screen and understand the context that creates a classic. Tune in to Awesome Movie Year for a thoughtful and engaging tour through some of cinema’s most fascinating periods.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Awesome Movie Year
Podcast Episodes
Downhill Racer (1969 First Feature) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The second episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1969 features our pick for a notable filmmaking debut, Michael Ritchie’s Downhill Racer. Directed by Michael Ritchie from a screenplay by James Salter and sta…
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2000 Epilogue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this epilogue to our season on the awesome movie year of 2000, we talk about alternate movies we considered including in all of our different categories this season, and read suggestions from some listeners about thei…
High Fidelity (2000 Audience Choice) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The finale of our season on the awesome movie year of 2000 features our audience choice poll winner, Stephen Frears’ High Fidelity. Directed by Stephen Frears (based on the novel by Nick Hornby) and starring John Cusack,…
Boiler Room (2000 Future Cult Classic) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The fourteenth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2000 features our cult classic pick, Ben Younger’s Boiler Room. Written and directed by Ben Younger and starring Giovanni Ribisi, Nicky Katt, Nia Long, Vi…
American Psycho (2000 Dave’s Pick) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The thirteenth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2000 features our producer David Rosen’s pick, Mary Harron’s American Psycho. Directed and co-written by Mary Harron and starring Christian Bale, Willem D…
Gladiator (2000 Best Picture) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:16
The twelfth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2000 features the Academy Awards Best Picture winner, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie…
Girlfight (2000 Sundance Award Winner) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:50
The eleventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2000 features one of the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winners, Karyn Kusama’s Girlfight. Written and directed by Karyn Kusama and starring Michel…

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