Disney censors Oscar-winning film The French Connection by removing “never trust a negro” dialogue

Disney censored the 1971 Oscar-winning film The French Couple starring Gene Hackman. A short dialogue in which the message “never trust a negro” appears has disappeared from the film. This was originally uttered by Hackman after his fellow cop was stabbed by a black drug dealer.

Among others, the Twitter account Cereal at Midnight informs about the censorship intervention. “Disney has apparently censored The French Connection by removing some of the offending dialogue without notice, warning or statement. This censorship also carries over to the Criterion channel and theatrical screenings,” the film account notes, adding that the old version of the film will no longer be screened on streaming platforms or in theaters.

Disney has apparently censored The French Connection by removing a line of offensive dialogue without notice, warning, or statement. This censorship carries over to The Criterion Channel and theatrical screenings. #Disney #TheFrenchConnection #censorship pic.twitter.com/qfpCRvjVwm

— Cereal At Midnight (@CerealMidnight) June 6, 2023

As journalist Martin Weiss points out, people will only be able to see the original film with the famous tagline on old DVD and Bluray media. “If you bought The French Clutch on DVD or Bluray (it’s been released four times here), you’ve done well because you won’t be able to see it in its original form in the cinema, on TV or on stream. Current owner Disney censored it,” Weiss writes.

If you bought The French Coupling on DVD or Bluray (it has been released four times here), you did well, because you will no longer see it in its original form in the cinema, on TV or on stream. The current owner of Disney censored it.

— Martin Weiss (@no_amount) June 7, 2023

The deleted scene lasts only a few seconds and features the main character, played by Gene Hackman, advising his wounded police colleague to “never trust the niggers.” This is how he reacts to a situation where one of the detectives was stabbed by a black drug dealer.

According to the commentator Martin Kovář, only a complete fool can make such interventions in classic films. “Only a complete idiot or an ideological fanatic can spoil this Friedkin masterpiece from the early seventies,” Kovář is clear.

Only a complete idiot or an ideological fanatic can spoil this Friedkin masterpiece from the early 1970s.

— Martin Kovář (@maaarty1965) June 7, 2023

Weiss relates this fanaticism to the discussions that took place here in the 1990s regarding series like Major Zeman. “The discussions we had in the 90s about what to do with Major Zeman-type movies and series were highly sophisticated and deliberate against what these shits were doing,” says Weiss, noting that the current wave of censorship of old movies is appalling.

The discussions we had in the 90s about what to do with movies and series like Major Zeman were highly sophisticated and deliberate against what these shits are doing.

— Martin Weiss (@no_amount) June 7, 2023

“Exactly!” agrees Kovář.

The discussions we had in the 90s about what to do with movies and series like Major Zeman were highly sophisticated and deliberate against what these shits are doing.

— Martin Weiss (@no_amount) June 7, 2023

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