Revealing mistake: When Popeye's car stops chasing the EL train, there are skid marks from previous takes parallel to the ones that the car just made.
The French Connection (1971)
1 revealing mistake
Directed by: William Friedkin
Starring: Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey, Tony Lo Bianco
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.
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Suggested correction: I think that it looks dark because they are under an elevated train track.
Yes. If you look to the background, you can see sunlight in various spots.
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.
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.
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.