6/10
First outing of Ludovic Cruchot series with the farceur Louis De Funes
24 March 2009
This is a pretty amusing entry on Marechal Luudovic Cruchot(Louis De Funes)Gendarmes stories. Starts with a prologue in black and white where Cruchot is a corporal at a village .He's suddenly been promoted to sergeant in Sainz Tropez and undertakes the changeling. There he goes along with his beautiful daughter Nicole (Genevieve Grad).At the Nationale Gendarmerie finds four Marechals(Jean Lefevre,Michael Modo,Grosso) and chef adjutant Jerome(Michael Galabru).Meanwhile a mobs have robbed a Rembrant painting titled the 'girl of the tulip' and the Gendarmes must to find it. Besides happen several adventures, with highlights such as the chase of nudists whom Cruchot ask them documentation, when Lucien(Jean Lefevre)is obligated to nude himself for close nudists, and the ordinary nun driving rapidly in the Citroen, among others.

This agreeable French comedy about the sympathetic Gendarmes contains slapstick,slapdash, simple humor and lots of entertainment and fun . Louis De Funes, as usual, steals the show, the puts paces, grimace,and overacting by means of excessive mimic gesticulation. Marvelous, wonderful Genevieve Grad as festive daughter, she starred various sword and sandals movies.It's a co-production French-Italian , for that reason appears Gabriele Tinti as a gangster, he's customary actor of co-productions during the 60 and 70s. However doesn't appear Claude Gensac who collaborated five movies as Funes'spouse, because in the next installment 'Gendarme get married' she'll become into wife. Glimmer local cinematography in luminous sun under Saint Tropez'blue sky. Enjoyable musical score by Raymond Lefevre including musical background leitmotif and catching disco song titled, of course, St Tropez. Habitual final parade with Cruchot greeted like a hero. If you like Funes' overacting, you'll enjoy this one. The flick is lively written and amusingly directed by Jean Girault, who followed film-making the series: Gendarmes and creatures of outer space,Gendarme in balade, Gendarme at New York, and Gendarme and the Gendarmettes.
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