The French Detective
Adieu poulet
Synopsis
When political thugs murder an opponent's volunteer and also kill a cop, chief inspector Verjeat believes the politician who hired them is as guilty as the murderous goon. Verjeat's pursuit of the councilman, Lardatte, gets him a warning from his superiors. When he embarrasses Lardatte while disarming a hostage (the dead volunteer's father), Verjeat is told he's being transferred within a week. He speeds up his hunt for the goon and, with Lefévre, one of his young detectives, he engineers a complicated scheme to buy more time before the transfer. How should Verjeat play out his values of honor and duty?
Top Cast
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Lino Ventura
Commissioner Verjeat
Patrick Dewaere
Inspector Lefèvre
Victor Lanoux
Pierre Lardatte
Julien Guiomar
General controller Ledoux
Pierre Tornade
Commissioner Pignol
Françoise Brion
Marthe Rigaux, boss of the brothel
Claude Rich
Judge Delmesse
Michel Peyrelon
Roger Portor, brother of Antoine
Claude Brosset
Antoine Portor, Lardatte's henchman
Gérard Hérold
Inspector Moitrié
Gérard Dessalles
Inspector Ransac
Jacques Rispal
Mr. Mercier, father of the young man killed
Patrick Feigelson
Louis
Jean-Yves Gautier
Letellier
Pierre Londiche
Jeanvier, informer with the dog
Jacques Serres
Inspector Martin
Christiane Tissot
Marie Portor
Ève Francis
Old lady
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 11, 1979
Wide Cinema Exhibition
June 5, 2024
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Pierre Granier-Deferre
- Screenplay & Story
- Francis Veber, Jean Laborde
- Original Score
- Philippe Sarde
- Original Title
- Adieu poulet
- Country of Origin
- France
- Spoken Languages
- French
- Runtime
- 1h 27m
- Production Studios
- Mondex Films, Les Films Ariane
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Pierre Granier-Deferre
Francis Veber, Jean Laborde
Philippe Sarde
Jean Collomb
Jean Ravel
Alexandre Mnouchkine, Georges Dancigers
Department Leadership Roster
Maurice Sergent
Production Design
Nadine Dessalles
Costume Design
Pierre Granier-Deferre
Director
Jean Collomb
Director of Photography
Francis Veber
Writer
Philippe Sarde
Original Music Composer
Alexandre Mnouchkine
Producer
Georges Dancigers
Producer
Jean Ravel
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 16 ans — 16+ only.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The French Detective.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The French Detective.
Political-Thriller
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Frequently Asked Questions About The French Detective
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The French Detective about?
When political thugs murder an opponent's volunteer and also kill a cop, chief inspector Verjeat believes the politician who hired them is as guilty as the murderous goon. Verjeat's pursuit of the councilman, Lardatte, gets him a warning from his superiors. When he embarrasses Lardatte while disarming a hostage (the dead volunteer's father), Verjeat is told he's being transferred within a week. He speeds up his hunt for the goon and, with Lefévre, one of his young detectives, he engineers a complicated scheme to buy more time before the transfer. How should Verjeat play out his values of honor and duty?
Who directed The French Detective?
The French Detective was directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre.
Who stars in The French Detective?
The principal cast of The French Detective includes Lino Ventura, Patrick Dewaere, Victor Lanoux, Julien Guiomar, Pierre Tornade.
When was The French Detective released and how long is it?
The French Detective was released in 1975 with a total runtime of 1h 27m.
Who composed the musical score for The French Detective?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The French Detective was composed by Philippe Sarde.
Is The French Detective based on a book or true story?
The French Detective is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Jean Laborde".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The French Detective?
The French Detective holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 16 (Interdit aux moins de 16 ans — 16+ only.).