The French Connection

1971 · directed by William Friedkin · 104 min

26,918 feet · Prominence

95th of 15,261 films scored

Not coveredThe 95th highest film on the mountain, and The Rewatchables has never done it.

How this film scores

Draw66

$41m worldwide in 1971 — $336m in today's money.

As released$41mIn 2026 money$336mRank981 of 8,589In 19714 of 36

How Draw works

Inflation-adjusted worldwide box office, on one global curve, and nothing else. It does not know whether a film was good.

Praise98

Critics 96, awards 96. Half each, so Praise lands at 98.

Critics96 → 48Awards96 → 48

Oscars5 won Picture, Director, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing3 nominated Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Sound

Golden Globes2 won Director, Actor

BAFTAs1 won Actor1 nominated Sound

How Praise works

Half critics, half a tiered award record where Picture and Directing carry most of the weight. Praise is the verdict at the time; Legacy is the verdict since.

Legacy78

Judged directly: Best Picture, legendary car chase.

Verdict78 of 100IMDb7.7 from 149kWikipedia33k views a monthAge55 years

On the listsNational Film RegistryAFI 100evidence, not an input to the score

Scored beside it · 140 of 3,430 films judged

78Moana (2016)

78The Truman Show (1998)

78Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

78Django Unchained (2012)

78Platoon (1986)

78Rosemary's Baby (1968)

78The French Connection (1971)

If it does not belong in this company, the number is wrong.

How Legacy works

Legacy is a judgment, not a formula. A film can be adored by critics and culturally quiet, or lightly reviewed and permanently lodged in the culture, and no arithmetic over IMDb numbers tells the difference. Every signal behind it keeps updating.

draw 66 praise 98 legacy 78averages 81, which places it at26,918 ft

How the three become one number

Added, not multiplied, so a film transcendent on one pillar and weak on another is not zeroed out. A compression curve then squeezes the top, because the seven greatest films ever made should not be four thousand feet apart.

In these careers — elevation for this film

Gene Hackman23,109 ft