La guerre des polices

This is a neo noir film in terms of it being about two high ranking police officers who have lost their moral compass. Their two departments are in a reckless war against each other. They know no boundaries: they kill, threaten and torture people. Between those two men is a young officers who is doubting her calling as a police officer. The two senior officers are beyond that: in fighting monsters they have become monsters. But are they beyond redemption? This is all pretty dark stuff. In a sense it's typical 70s French criticism of "the system"- as you would expect from Manchette who wrote the dialogues. But it works because it really is more of a psychological study. The action is pretty good. So overall it's a pretty gritty thriller from the 70s with action, sex and violence.

The interest lies in the two squabbling police departments busy trying to get each other and passers by killed in the hunt for a gun toting organised crime gang led by crime boss Sarlat. All the police are pretty amoral even Brasseur and Jobert, though they have some charm too of course and end up in the sack together despite being on different sides of the police divide. Jobert looks fantastic. She also takes on the role of Delilah to Brasseur's Samson to some extent. Why, why, why Delilah.