The French Connection

Continuity mistake: When the drug tester gets done with testing the heroin, he blows out the lit candle on the bottom. But when there is a far shot of him talking, the candle is still burning.

Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the film in Brooklyn, it is obviously dark outside (nighttime). As they are chasing the guy from the bar, it all of a sudden is during the daytime as it is light outside.

Martin Sullivan

Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.

Suggested correction: I think that it looks dark because they are under an elevated train track.

Continuity mistake: During the car chase scene under the "B" Elevated Train in Brooklyn (86th St.), Popeye passes the same curve at least 3 or 4 times. Look closely, you'll probably see the same movie theatre over and over again. Apparently, they rerun the same chase clip to increase the length of this scene.

Continuity mistake: When Popeye's being shot at by the sniper, he's hiding behind a tree and rolls towards a wall that's relatively well-lit by sunshine. The angle changes and it's now completely in shadow.

Jon Sandys

Continuity mistake: During the car crash scene, the Commanding Officer, Popeye, Detective Russo and the other cop are walking toward the accident. Close shot of Popeye, as he says, "I say we keep sitting on Boca", and they all stop walking. Immediate cut to long shot, and they are all still walking toward the accident. (01:05:41)

Continuity mistake: During the subway chase scene, Popeye's car loses about a half dozen hubcaps! The hubcaps are back in place when Popeye parks the car at the end of the chase.

Continuity mistake: At the start of the movie in France, we see an undercover French policeman shot by Pierre Nicoli, if you look quickly when the policeman is shot, we can see blood splatter all over his face. However, when we see the wider shot of him falling down his face is clean and has no blood on it at all.

Continuity mistake: During the final shootout, Popeye chases Frenchman 1 into a building; he is wearing his hat. One shot has him without the hat.

Continuity mistake: When Popeye is tailing "Frog #1", he waits outside while the Frenchman eats a long lunch in a restaurant. At first, we see the Frenchman sitting in an interior seat, with another table of diners to his left. But by the time dessert is served, he's at a seat by the window.

Continuity mistake: During the car chase scene under the "B" Elevated Train in Brooklyn (86th St.), Popeye passes the same curve at least 3 or 4 times. Look closely, you'll probably see the same movie theatre over and over again. Apparently, they rerun the same chase clip to increase the length of this scene.

More mistakes in The French Connection

Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle: If that's not a drop I'll open up a charge for you at Bloomingdale's.
Buddy "Cloudy" Russo: Make it Alexander's Toy Department.

More quotes from The French Connection

Trivia: The casting of Fernando Rey was an accident. William Friedkin had wanted to cast Francisco Rabal, whom he had seen in Belle de jour (1967), but at the time didn't know his name. Only after actor and director met did Friedkin realize Rey wasn't the actor he had wanted. Friedkin ended up keeping Rey after learning that Rabal spoke neither English nor French.

Cubs Fan

More trivia for The French Connection

Question: Why does Sal take the dirty car out of the city parking lot and park it by the docks? If that's the drug car why would the French let him do that?

Answer: The parking laws in the 1970's were not as strict as they are today, leaving a car on the street is no different from parking on the curb in a suburban area. The car was supposed to be picked up by the mob.

More questions & answers from The French Connection

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