That's a shame. Like many 70's movies, part of the whole point is that the protagonist is a messed up antihero. He's not supposed to be some wholesome character you aspire to, but a genuine reflection of the real-life figures the film is based upon. What's debatable is whether there is a hidden implication made, that people like this are necessary for society.
This bleeds over into the making of The French Connection itself. The train/car chase was shot in traffic, not on a closed road; they almost maimed/killed others/themselves. It was incredibly reckless and "wrong" by modern standards. All of this is discussed in the full-length director commentary.
Why do you say his disregard for safety has something to do with the actor being a woman? He did not make any comparable movie in that time period, with that level of stunts, with a male actor. At best, you are just speculating that he would have been more careful if the lead was male.
This bleeds over into the making of The French Connection itself. The train/car chase was shot in traffic, not on a closed road; they almost maimed/killed others/themselves. It was incredibly reckless and "wrong" by modern standards. All of this is discussed in the full-length director commentary.