Adieu Poulet [The French Detective] *** (1975, Lino Ventura, Patrick Dewaere, Victor Lanoux) – Classic Movie Review 7053

Lino Ventura stars as the crafty French detective, Chief Inspector Verjeat, who clashes with pushy politician Pierre Lardatte (Victor Lanoux), in this impressive 1975 dubbed French murder thriller The French Detective, based on the novel by Raf Vallet [aka Jean Laborde] and directed with the then out-of-fashion virtue in France of old-style traditional craftsmanship by Pierre Granier-Deferre.

Patrick Dewaere plays Ventura’s eager-beaver cop partner, Inspector Lefèvre, in their dogged trail after the gangster they think is helping Lanoux. The plot turns to murder when the political thugs kill their opponent’s volunteer and also kill a cop.

The acting is very powerful and strong, Granier-Deferre works subtly, keeping his film focuses on his actors and intensity of atmosphere, and the intelligent, provocative piece engages the mind and attention throughout its crisp 90-minute running time. Look out for the subtitled original French version, Adieu Poulet.

Also in the cast are Julien Guiomar, Pierre Tornade, Françoise Brion, Claude Rich, Michel Peyrelon, Claude Brosset, Gérard Hérold, Gérard Dessalles and Jacques Rispal.

Adieu Poulet (The French Detective) is directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre, runs 93 minutes, is produced by Ariane and Mondex, is released by GEF (France), is written by Francis Veber, based on the novel by Raf Vallet [Jean Laborde], is shot in Eastmancolor by Jean Collombe, is produced by Georges Dancigers and Alexandre Mnouchkine, and is scored by Philippe Sarde.

It is one of two films made by Ventura with Granier-Deferre in 1975: see also La Cage [The Trap].

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7053

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