In 1970s New Work, undercover detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle and his partner are investigating a heroin-smuggling ring. As the case grows in political scope and takes on international implications, the stakes rise, and so does the danger surrounding them. With its gritty aesthetic, sharp screenplay, and one of the most iconic car chases in American cinema, William Friedkin’s Oscar-winning crime thriller made a star of Gene Hackman and cemented his reputation as one of his generation’s most enigmatic acting talents.