MovieChat Forums > French Connection II (1975) Discussion > GREATEST LAST FOUR SECONDS EVER???

GREATEST LAST FOUR SECONDS EVER???

posted 19 years ago by jjamp48
36 replies | jump to latest

******* SPOILERS*******

Does anyone else think that this could perhaps be the GREATEST last four seconds to any film? While there have been many great endings in films that are easily better than the ending in this film – the first French Connection comes to mind - , the last four seconds of this film are solid gold. For anyone who has seen the original F.C. the ending moments are especially rewarding. I remember when I first caught the last half of this on TV a few years ago, I kept thinking the same thing: “he’s going to give him the slip and get away…..AGAIN.” During the final chase I was so sure it was going to happen. Popeye is all tired and disoriented, barely able to keep going. The shots of the boat moving through the harbor and away from Doyle didn’t look promising. The eerie music did not help either. It all seemed so hopeless. It didn’t even look like he was getting anywhere close to the boat. I watched, grimly certain that if by some miracle he did catch up he would collapse from exhaustion or wouldn’t be able to shoot straight. WRONG. I couldn’t believe it. The brief glimpse of Charnier on the boat, as Doyle falls to his knees into shooting position. Calling out Charnier’s name out so he can turn round to see who it is that has caught him. BAM! …..and its over. Its like “GOTCHA BITCH” cue credits. There was nothing left to show. No need to. No need to see Doyle’s reaction…this was everything he had worked so hard for. And you KNOW those bullet holes on his upper chest meant his @$$ was grass.

I couldn’t believe it has the credits came out. It was one of the few moments in film where my jaw actually hit the ground. I sat watching the credits in disbelief. When they were over I started jumping up and down saying “HE GOT HIM! HE GOT HIM!” My roommate didn’t know what the hell I was on about. I guess he chalked it up as me having another fit. He hadn’t seen the first movie, which I again say makes it all the more powerful, watching him continually slipping from Doyle’s grasp. I think the best part about it was that Charnier was probably so sure he had made it again, confident and arrogant. You see the look of surprise and first, then shock as he is shot and then finally horror as he is beginning to fall groping helplessly. Never have so few seconds (I think it was four in all) meant so much to me as a viewer. Simply Brilliant. Amazing.

Too bad this film is nowhere near as great as it’s predecessor, not does it have Roy Scheider. Any thoughts?

P.S. does anyone else think that movie Primer is awful??

[–] danucky 18 years ago

Totally agreeing. i liked f.c. 2 especially for the french flavor the 1st didn't have. great gene hackman!

[–] ItsEnricoPalazzo 17 years ago

I'm inclined to agree that it's one of the best endings I've ever seen.

[–] Crockett16 17 years ago

I totally agree with you. These are the best last four seconds of any film. I first saw it on AMC and was taken by suprise by the abrupt ending. It took me a long time to track the video down and when I did I fast forwarded to end just to see it again.

[–] filmbuff-36 17 years ago

I have to agree, it is an awesome ending. Since it was a 70s movie, I thought for sure that Frog One was going to get away again, and then... BAM! I actually cheered when I saw that. :)

[–] balthazar_bee 17 years ago

I agree, that is one powerful ending.

However, someone commented that the French police set him up, but I'm pretty sure it was his superiors in New York, *not* the French police. The is made clear in the phone exchange early in the film, which is set overtop of a montage of Doyle wandering through Marseilles. Doesn't Henri say something like, "Yes, sir, he's arrived, but are you sure you want to use him this way? If he was my man..."?

The first time I saw this film, which has to be at least ten years ago, I couldn't believe how long the cold turkey sequences lasted. I thought they were the most drawn out and punishing things I'd ever witnessed -- especially in a sequel to one of the fastest-paced cop thrillers ever. I saw it again last night, and yes, they are drawn out and punishing, but in the context of FCII they are totally necessary. Without them, the ending would proably seem glib and unsatisfying. And Hackman, whew, what a performance.

On another note, are there any fans of Polanski's The Tenant (1976) here? I know it's hated by many, but I think it's a brilliant mixture of horror and comedy (in fact, it may be the *only* film in history that's made me genuinely laugh out loud *and* feel real fear). Anyway, there are at least two faces in common between these two movies, and one of them appears to be playing the same role! I guess there aren't many France-based English-speaking film actors.

P.S. I thought Primer was the most invigorating sci-fi film in many years.

[–] holloholloway 16 years ago

French Connection II full ending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyJlRVPTsV8

[–] filmbuff-36 16 years ago

Oh, snap, crackle pop! I was waiting for someone to upload that to YouTube! Thanks for the link.

[–] pete36 16 years ago

Couldn't agree more. One of the most rewarding movie endings ever. Can't really think of something to match it.

[–] Howlin Wolf 14 years ago

I was pleasantly surprised it ended so suddenly, because it didn't need any more... It was the ultimate climax!

This is where the magic happens... and by "magic", I mean nothing.

[–] profh-1 12 years ago

I never saw these in theatres, only on TV (with commercial interruptions... grrr). Non-stop tedium, interrupted by the odd moments of intense action. The subway scene was cool. The attempted assassination leading to the elevated train and car chase was incredible. The shootout in the dry-dock was intense, but somewhat maddening. The shootout in the drug lab, leading to the long, long chase on foot, was thrilling. After all the hell the main character goes thru, and all the hell the audience goes thru, sitting thru both pictures, the ending was ABSOLUTELY called for. It just "had" to end that way.

The only other time I can recall seeing an ending like that-- totally abrupt, yet absolutely "final" and utterly called for-- was HALLOWEEN: TWENTY YEARS LATER. At least half of those movies are a horrid waste of anyone's time. The 1st, 4th & 7th aren't. When Jamie Lee Curtis swings that shovel and DECAPITATES the killer, I actually let out a ROAR of approval in the theatre! There was a group of girls in the place who were making noise for most of the film, and I decided to get into the spirit of things by making even more noise. And the end, I just let out a roar. INTENSELY satisfying!!

So what's frustrating is... A)the idiot producers decided to do another one, B)the opening scene in "8" totally contradicted the ending of "7" (and was an INSULT to the audience), and C)the actual decapitation is CUT anytime they run the film on commercial TV.

Some characters not only deserve to get killed, they NEED to. Can you imagine if someone decided to do a sequel and revealed that Charnier "got better"?

[–] christomacin (4730) 5 years ago

Reminds me of the Monty Python "Dead Parrot" sketch: "He's not dead, he's just resting!"

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7993) 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Adam60z (3781) 5 years ago

FC2 is a great film. I actually prefer it to FC1 because Frankenheimer directed it and it's set in Marseilles as opposed to NYC (that one should have been called New York Connection). However I didn't think the ending was that good. Yes we all liked to see Charnier get his, but what I'd prefer is a final confrontation; maybe 10 minutes of Popeye savoring the moment and Charnier squirming. This 4 seconds he doesn't know what hit him and then the credits roll. Not my type of ending.