TeleTales #15…Setting Up For The Greatest Car Chase Ever
“The French Connection” principal car chase scene was widely considered to be the best ever put on film at the time, overtaking Bullitt (1968) for that honor.
There was no official permit from the city for the chase which was done with the help of off duty policemen. The car crash during the chase sequence, at the intersection of Stillwell Ave. and 86th St., was unplanned and was included because of its realism. The man whose car was hit had just left his house a few blocks from the intersection to go to work and was unaware that a car chase was being filmed. The producers later paid the bill for the repairs to his car.
By the way…according to director William Friedkin, the significance of the straw hat being tossed onto the shelf of the rear window in Doyle and Russo’s car was that at that time, it was a universal signal in New York City that the undercover cops in the car were on duty. Enjoy and share! -Bobby Ellerbee
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