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The French Connection (film)
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===Casting=== Though the cast proved to be one of the film's greatest strengths, Friedkin had problems with casting from the start. He strongly opposed [[Gene Hackman]] as the lead, first considering [[Paul Newman]] (too expensive), then [[Jackie Gleason]], [[Peter Boyle]], and the columnist [[Jimmy Breslin]], who had never acted.<ref name=mtc>Friedkin recounts his casting opinions in ''Making the Connection: The Untold Stories'' (2001). Extra feature on 2001 Five Star Collection edition of DVD release.</ref> The studio considered Gleason box-office poison after his film ''[[Gigot (film)|Gigot]]'' had flopped several years before, Boyle declined the role out of disapproval of the film's violence, and Breslin refused to get behind the wheel of a car, as Popeye does in an integral chase scene. [[Steve McQueen]] was also considered, but did not want to do another police film after ''[[Bullitt]]''; moreover, as with Newman, his fee was too high. [[Charles Bronson]] was also considered for the role. [[Lee Marvin]], [[James Caan]], and [[Robert Mitchum]] were also considered; all turned it down.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://splicetoday.com/moving-pictures/the-making-of-the-french-connection|title = The Making of the French Connection| date=4 February 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.moviefone.com/2016/10/08/the-french-connection-facts/|title=23 Things You Never Knew About 'The French Connection'}}</ref> Friedkin almost settled for [[Rod Taylor]] (who had actively pursued the role, according to Hackman), another choice the studio approved, before going with Hackman. The casting of [[Fernando Rey]] as Alain Charnier (irreverently called "Frog One" throughout the film) resulted from mistaken identity. Friedkin had seen [[Luis Buñuel]]'s 1967 film ''[[Belle de Jour (film)|Belle de Jour]]'' and been impressed by the performance of [[Francisco Rabal]], who had a small role in it. But Friedkin did not know Rabal's name, remembering only that he was a Spanish actor. He asked his casting director to find the actor, and the casting director contacted Rey, a Spanish actor who had appeared in several other Buñuel films. Rabal was finally reached, but because he spoke neither French nor English, Rey was kept in the film.<ref name=mtc/>
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