In honor of Gene Hackman's 80th birthday tomorrow (Jan 30), what is your favorite Gene Hackman film? I initially wanted the poll to be your favorite performance, but I thought almost everyone would vote their favorite film anyway. If you want to discuss film vs. performance, great! Note: It was tough narrowing the choices to 24, so if I left out your favorite, please mention it.

Lots of great films to choose from.

My favorite is The French Connection.

I agree that I've got several favorites among the films listed and Hackman is one of my favorite actors. My two favorite films among the bunch are the Superman films and Hoosiers. One could argue that Hackman wasn't the lead character obviously in the Superman movies, so I voted for Hoosiers.

Tough call for me between The French Connection and The Conversation.

I went with The French Connection.

I'm embarrassed to admit I've never seen The French Connection. My pick is easy: Unforgiven. It happens to be not only my favorite of his films, but also my favorite Hackman performance.

Haven't seen enough of his movies, but I love The French Connection (and its underrated sequel, in which Hackman is perhaps equally great) and The Royal Tenenbaums.

Another great underrated Hackman performance is Night Moves (not a poll option).

The Conversation

Hard choice, I'm a big fan of Gene Hackman. The French Connection is excellent, but I've always enjoyed The Poseidon Adventure too.

Worst
Loose Cannons
The Domino Principle

80 years old? Man. He's one of those actors who's seemed "old" forever but I guess I thought he was eternally 50-something... I picked Tenenbaums, narrowly, but it's a tough call over Unforgiven, Conversation and French Connection. For that matter I grew up with him hamming it up in Superman and even if he's not really the "real" Lex Luthor I dug him.

I recently blind bought The Conversation based upon some positive comments here. Seeing it leading among the early votes in this poll reminds me I need to check it out soon.

Easy choice for me: The Conversation

I think you have to go with The Conversation here, since it's a character study and Hackman's at his peak.

Good to see Night Moves get a mention. Eureka is kind of a mess, but Hackman is interesting there as well.

There were so many good ones I had to leave off... Heist, Narrow Margin, Replacements, Company Business, Class Action, The Package, Uncommon Valor, Absolute Power, Prime Cut, Cisko Pike, All Night Long, Hunting Party, and my #1 DVD wish - RIOT

Edit: Riot TBR Sept 10 Whoo Hoo!

It's hard for me to pick one film or performance as the best, I thought he was a riot in Heartbreakers, but can't pull the lever for best film. I like his subtle performance in Full Moon in Blue Water. If you take politics out of it and look at it as a hollywood crime drama, Mississippi Burning is fantastic with one of the best ensemble casts ever. Tough choices... Then there's French Connection & Conversation... tough..

Since it's "favorite" I went with Hoosiers b/c that's the film I'm most likely to be able to watch multiple times in the future (like any time I see it on TV), but I could pick several of those films and not feel bad about the choice.

I'm glad he elected to do Royal Tenenbaums in this decade as I find it one of the best performances of his career. I just l wish Welcome to Mooseport wasn't the last film he did. It seems like it will be though.

Favorite movie with Gene Hackman: Superman. Favorite movie to showcase Gene Hackman's talents: The French Connection II.

My favorite is Hoosiers.

Easy. Poseidon Adventure is one of my 10 favorite films.

I voted for Conversation but I also consider the unlisted "CRIMSON TIDE" where he was very dominant and gave a superb performance.

I have to go with FRENCH CONNECTION, but I'd like to recommend to you all an underrated film of Hackman's that's not on the list: CISCO PIKE (1971). It's easily one of the best and most honest "counterculture" films of its era. Kris Kristofferson plays an ex-rock singer whose career has soured. His onetime partner, Harry Dean Stanton, is now a junkie. Kris, as the title character, is living with Karen Black in a house near the beach in some adjunct locale near L.A., when he's approached by a cop, Gene Hackman, who's stolen a huge stash of marijuana and forces Kris to sell it for him. He wants a certain amount of money by a certain day or otherwise he'll bust Kris on some charge. So Kris has to call in all of his connections and travel the course of the L.A. landscape over about about three days to make the sales. Antonio Fargas is one of his connections and there are tons of other great character actors abounding.

There's a good record industry scene where Kris tries to make a sale to his old producer, a young, long-haired long-winded full-of-himself type who berates Kris for deserting the music that made him popular for some esoteric rock stuff. Another fun bit has Kris and Harry (who's superb here) picking up two airhead chicks, played by Viva and Joy Bang, and when Joy learns who Kris is, she tells him his hit was her favorite song in Junior High School, which was about only four years earlier.

Hackman has a great scene near the end where he explains what pushed him into this situation. I won't describe it because it's a spoiler. It's Kris' movie, but Hackman's great in it and it's a superb snapshot of its era, the post-'60s, when the bloom has faded from the hippie era and everyone is waking up back in the real world.

wow, 80!

The French Connection

I was torn between The French Connection and The Royal Tenenbaums - went w/ the former.

It was between The French Connection and Bonnie and Clyde. I went with connection as it was the bigger role but he was great in B&C.

Definitely the Lowe's voice overs.

Nah, probably The French Connection for favorite film and Mississippi Burning for favorite performance.

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I can't believe he's turning 80! Hackman is one of the greatest actors to ever grace the screen - period. He's a phenomenal performer.

I'm going with The Conversation.