The Gendarme of Saint-Tropez

Of all the genres, comedy is the one which gets more easily dated. That's because the conventions for each moment in time (and for each culture) are very volatile, they change quickly. And, for some reason, we don't "pile" new notions over old ones, which is to say, with humor, once we have new conventions, we reject old ones (unlike, for instance, the detective film). This means that what makes people laugh now, won't work in a very short time. I'm still young, and i've seen that happen, with films i saw as a teen. But than we have another aspect to be reckoned: the fact that, though audiences adapt to new conventions regardless of their age (as long as they keep seeing new films and live active social lives), they still gain a cinematic memory. So, many times, people "know" that they will re-watch a film which "is" funny, they remember they laughed out loud when they saw it the first time.

I saw this film with my mother, and i registered this effect on her. To me, this was something i had seen 10 years ago, to her, it was a memory from childhood, when these gendarme films were fresh.

Now they aren't fresh. Social criticisms here are totally out of date for European societies, even for the Portuguese!, so that's a card out of the deck.

The kind of gimmick Funés uses are also no longer so watchable. Physical acting has evolved to play with the body as an object (Jim Carey type) more than with the placing of the characters in a funny situation, like here (Chaplin made both things).

I do sympathize with his unlikable character. The witty policeman, despicable, over-protective about his girl (that's social commentary as well), caring for appearances. It's a matter of attitude, and Louis de Funés was a valuable performer.

One thing is remarkable about this film and its context: St.Tropez. What is remarkable, besides beautiful beaches, and pleasant lifestyle, is how cinema was an important, even fundamental, piece of the publicity machinery the french created to promote the place. It starts with 'Et dieu crea la femme', and it goes through a number of other films, including this one. Here we even have a song about the village, obviously made to promote both the film and the place. So here (as with 'and god...') we have the key elements that were important to highlight: beach, sand, summer-mood, boats, high life, open-minded relaxed living youth, attractive girls. The story exists to show off these elements. Well, you go today to St Tropez and compare it to what we have here in this film (and specially in 'and god..') and you have to admit they were successful in their campaign.

My opinion: 3/5 http://www.7eyes.wordpress.com

This first part of the incredible gendarme-series sets the tone for the follow up. Funes and Galabru are the stars, but the lovely Geneviève Grad as Cruchot's daughter Nicole has a fine performance including singing a catchy tune. She's is trying to make a good impression at her new friends by claiming she's the daughter of a famous businessman instead of a gendarme. This is the start of a fine mess, which includes a kidnapping,some hilarious impersonations and a Rembrandt painting. Cruchot puts himself in some awkward positions to save him and his daughters ass. Surely 4 out of 5.

Very much a 1960s style European beach comedy. The plot won't win any literary prizes, the gags are little better than average, but the comic timing of Funes, Lefebvre, Galabru, etc. is brilliant, study material for acting school. This is very much a feel-good slapstick comedy with the usual towering central performance of Louis de Funes in the title role, a prime example of a central character carrying a movie.

The best bit of the film is the black-and-white pre-credit opening sequence, set before Cruchot's move to St.Tropez. The scene with the chicken-thief and the choir is priceless.

It is a wonderful comedy, lively, vivid and energetic, one cannot stop laughing all the time. Louis de Funes is at his best again, acting perfectly the strict but good-natured policeman and the plot is complex enough to capture the attention. According to me, this film is a model for a comedy.The daughter of the policeman is very sweet and is a typical representative of young generation,overcoming the conservatism of the old generation.The music of the film is also wonderful, representing the typical atmosphere of its time and contributes much to the joyful spirit of the film.I also liked very much the idea the film starting in black and white and later becoming colourful.As a whole extremely witty and lively film, typical for the French character, which makes you not only smile but laugh sincerely.

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.