The semi-documentary police thriller features an unsympathetic protagonist - the vulgar, brutal, tireless, unlikable, maniacal and sadistic Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman) as the main undercover New York City narcotics cop, who toes the thin line between fighting crime and committing crimes himself.Upjohn (with her romantic attachment o him) to remain and to loan the sanitarium money to keep it from closing down...At Franklin, Vermont, where I lived until sometime ago.The Franklin papers, both of them, agreed that I had a future.I play all sorts of parts.Hedda, you know, lbsen""sHeddaof course, the old woman inRiders o the Sea, the queen inThe Queen""s Enemiesby Dunsany, and Kitty in Shaw""sYou Never Can Tell.Likewise, unknown Gene Hackman was recognized as a solid actor and went on to star in many substantial roles (his next major role was inThe French Connection (1971)).