What is the meaning of this phrase?
"you ever pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?"(Doyle interrogating a suspect, at the beginning of the movie)
shareIn itself it means nothing. A random non-sequitur with emphasis on the alliterative plosive 'P' sound, used in order to confuse and disorientatate a suspect. If you listen to original French Connection director William Friedkin on the documentary included on the Special Edition DVD, he explains that Detective Eddie Egan (the real life model for Popeye Doyle) used the "Do you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?" line in real life interrogations to methodically psych out suspects and trick them into making accidental confessions.
shareThank you very much for your expert answer to my question, and please accept my apologies for doing it so late.
shareNow or late, doesn't matter. At least you got it on here.
shareIt does have a meaning though linked to an unsolved rape crime. The rapist left bits of his skin from between his toes at the scene and obviously they want to catch this rapist but it's kind of futile I guess, so the phrase has become a high-powered and confusing, disturbing method of interrogation as such by Popeye.
Well, that's what I picked up anyway!
WTF?!? No!
What the $%*& is a Chinese Downhill?!?