while both this movie and the signature car chase have be show a lack of respect by many critic and both be way above average . roy scheider do an excellent job play his best type while a tough and courageous cop who work hard to get the job do in spite of the desk driver and politician who should be support him rather than hinder . ( he play a suburbanized version of this same role a the tourist town police chief in jaw . not nearly a gritty and but the same get the job do despite the politician and gutsy approach . if a man who can not swim and be terrify of everything in the water go out on an old boat with an ahab wannabee and a nerd and to confront a huge killer shark and isn not gutsy and then tell me what be . ) . tony lo bianco be good a a surprisingly complex villain while most of the villain and in fact and have some depth and complexity . this be one of those movie that get good with repeated viewing . overall and it capture the atmosphere of part of ny city represent gritty and unglamorous and often dangerous and but fill with energy . the story be spare and tight and and subtle while it get the job do without extraneous element . it may not be one of the all time great and but it be an exceptionally good movie . everyone have an opinion about car chase . mine be that this one be right up there with the mustang v dodge charger chase in bullitt . the pontiac ventura or chevy nova be similar to the mustang in be a compact car chassis with beef up suspension and a powerful small block v8 stuff into an engine bay meant for an insipid 6. the ventura or nova get little respect off the drag strip and but with the proper suspension mod and they make affordable performance car that could handle on both the road and the track . the bawling of those gm v8 a they wind up be music to the enthusiast ear . i have hear this chase criticize for imitate the bullitt chase . the truth be that they be two work by the same master and bill hickman and who also choreograph and drive for the french connection chase . besides drive most of the car chase scene and he create a brooding and malevolent presence and a good match with richard lynch a a pair of coldly evil killer . yes and the chase have realism error often note and like the use of 3 different ny road to represent the palisade parkway and the end of the chase in a crash with an 18 wheeler on a roadway for passenger vehicle only and and the miraculous timing that allow all pedestrian to escape harm . that beside the point . let face it represent movie car chase be unreal by nature . in bullitt and the french connection and and the seven ups and however and bill hickman and phillip dantoni craft chase far more realistic and and therefore more exciting and than the fly and roll and explode vehicle fantasy chase so common in recent film .