Fernando Rey

but we also find out why he's there which is interesting as well and it's not for his sparkling personality and his skills as a detective which

I had, if I had picked that up the first time I watched it I'd completely forgotten that and I was like oh okay that makes sense right because we find out pretty early on we haven't talked about cast but you know you've got Gene Hackman obviously, Fernando Rey returns as Charnier, the big new member of the cast here is Bernard Fresson who plays Barthélemy Who is like...

What

else has he been in? I don't know the name, but I thought you looked familiar.

A modicum.

A modicum.

Meanwhile, Charnier, I really like Fernando Rey in this film too, and Charnier's character is kind of interesting, because famously in the first French Connection film, he was cast accidentally, Fernando Rey.

He's supposed to be Francisco Rabal, who's much more of a thug-looking dude than Rey, who's very dainty, dandy-ish almost.

Or while a malnourished man is floundering in an underground cave.

I like how much dignity Fernando Rey tries to give his character as he's just being let off on that donkey.

Yeah.

Like, you know, sitting up straight.