The French Detective
6.8
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?
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Cast
35 people
Lino Ventura
Commissioner Verjeat
Known for
Army of Shadows
Crooks in Clover
Patrick Dewaere
Inspector Lefèvre
Known for
Going Places
Serie Noire
Victor Lanoux
Pierre Lardatte
Known for
National Lampoon's European Vacation
Pardon Mon Affaire
Julien Guiomar
General controller Ledoux
Known for
The Wing or the Thigh?
Asterix and the Big Fight
Pierre Tornade
Commissioner Pignol
Known for
Asterix in Britain
Lucky Luke
Françoise Brion
Marthe Rigaux, boss of the brothel
Known for
Very Happy Alexander
Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud
Claude Rich
Judge Delmesse
Known for
Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
Oscar
Michel Peyrelon
Roger Portor, brother of Antoine
Known for
The Visitors
Going Places
Claude Brosset
Antoine Portor, Lardatte's henchman
Known for
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies
Cop or Hood
Gérard Hérold
Inspector Moitrié
Known for
The Seventh Company Outdoors
My Father the Hero
Gérard Dessalles
Inspector Ransac
Known for
April and the Extraordinary World
The Apparition
Jacques Rispal
Mr. Mercier, father of the young man killed
Known for
The Cat
Going Places
Pierre Granier-Deferre Director · Francis Veber Writer Jean Laborde Author
Worldwide gross $15M · United States release March 11, 1979 · Produced in France
Box office
Worldwide gross
$14,600,000
Production
Mondex Films
Production
Les Films Ariane
Production
France
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Adieu poulet
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
France · December 10, 1975
Theatrical
United States · March 11, 1979
Theatrical
France
April 2, 2009 · Physical · DVD
May 29, 2018 · Physical · Blu-Ray
October 20, 2023 · TV · France•5
June 5, 2024 · Physical · (limited edition) Blu-ray 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
August 20, 2026 · TV · T18
Germany
January 29, 1976 · Theatrical · West Germany
September 15, 1978 · Theatrical · East Germany
Hungary
June 28, 1979 · Theatrical
Netherlands
June 10, 1976 · Theatrical
Poland
November 9, 1976 · Theatrical
Portugal
April 14, 1978 · Theatrical
Spain
March 26, 1979 · Theatrical
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