The Gendarme Takes Off

Cruchot's old police crew is long retired, and with his life now spent at his wealthy wife’s castle, he finds himself growing restless and irritable. He grumbles at the mansion’s staff, especially the stiff butler who won’t let him touch anything. One day a member of his former circle suffers a memory loss after a mishap, and the rest decide to pull off a farcical rescue of sorts. They abduct the man and haul him back to their glory days, guiding him through the places where they worked and the cases that defined their careers, for laughs. Dressed once again in the old uniforms, they sweep through Saint-Tropez and stir up the town with their mismatched nostalgia and chaos.

Released in 1970, this French farce continues the Gendarme saga under director Jean Girault. Louis de Funès returns as Ludovic Cruchot, with Vilfrid and Balducci credited for the original material and a Riviera mood that fits the caper very nicely.

Box office data for this title is not readily available in standard records. As part of a 1960s to 1970s French comedy run, it performed solidly in France and overseas audiences, though precise grosses aren't published in markets worldwide today.

Fans of the Gendarme films still recall the ensemble premise and the Saint-Tropez set pieces that typify the series. The cast's chemistry and de Funès's energy helped cement the franchise as a benchmark for French light comedy, inspiring later ensemble farces and holiday mischief that fans remember after the credits.

Critics generally treated the film as breezy, affectionate entertainment that leans on nostalgia and pratfalls rather than social critique. Its themes center on friendship that endures retirement and the playful rebellion of a team that cannot quite quit its glory days, even when the world keeps moving in rereleases everywhere.