An undercover IGPN commissioner infiltrates the Nice underworld to expose a deep-rooted alliance between corrupt police and the mafia.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Infiltration & Alias
Borowitz arrives in Nice and adopts the thug alias Antonio Cerruti to infiltrate the criminal underworld. He establishes contact with both major mafia sponsors to lay the groundwork for his investigation.
Key Events
IGPN Mission Assignment — Borowitz receives orders to investigate corruption in Nice.
Location: IGPN Headquarters
Arrival in Nice — Borowitz arrives in the city to begin his undercover work.
Location: Nice Streets
Identity Transformation — Borowitz adopts the thug alias Antonio Cerruti.
Location: Safehouse
Underworld Infiltration — Cerruti blends into criminal circles to gather intel.
Location: Underground Bar
Musard Faction Contact — Cerruti approaches and establishes contact with Musard. Characters: Théodore Musard Aka 'L'Auvergnat'Location: Warehouse
Volfoni Faction Contact — Cerruti approaches and establishes contact with Volfoni. Characters: Achille Volfoni, Aka 'Le Corse'Location: Private Club
Gang War & Corruption
Cerruti deliberately provokes a violent conflict between Musard and Volfoni. Meanwhile, corrupt inspectors Rey and Massard, funded by Volfoni, begin monitoring and targeting the protagonist.
Key Events
Volfoni Faction Contact — Cerruti approaches and establishes contact with Volfoni. Characters: Achille Volfoni, Aka 'Le Corse'Location: Private Club
Gang War Provocation — Cerruti deliberately triggers open conflict between the rivals. Characters: Théodore Musard Aka 'L'Auvergnat', Achille Volfoni, Aka 'Le Corse'Location: City Streets
Corrupt Inspectors Noted — Rey and Massard begin monitoring the new thug Cerruti. Characters: Inspector ReyLocation: Police Station
Volfoni Payment — Volfoni pays the corrupt inspectors to eliminate threats. Characters: Inspector Rey, Achille Volfoni, Aka 'Le Corse'Location: Back Alley
Murder Investigation — Borowitz examines the death of the corrupt commissioner.
Location: Crime Scene
Police-Mafia Link — Borowitz uncovers the deep institutional ties between police and mafia. Characters: Inspector ReyLocation: Hidden Office
Betrayal & Ambush
Borowitz uncovers the deep institutional ties between the police and the mafia. Volfoni orders the inspectors to eliminate Cerruti, leading to direct violent confrontations.
Key Events
Police-Mafia Link — Borowitz uncovers the deep institutional ties between police and mafia. Characters: Inspector ReyLocation: Hidden Office
Midpoint Revelation — Borowitz realizes the corruption runs deep within the force.
Location: Safehouse
Kill Order Issued — Volfoni explicitly orders the inspectors to eliminate Cerruti. Characters: Achille Volfoni, Aka 'Le Corse', Inspector ReyLocation: Volfoni's Office
First Ambush — Rey attempts to harm Cerruti in a targeted attack. Characters: Inspector ReyLocation: Dockyard
Borowitz compiles irrefutable evidence of the corruption network. He moves in to arrest the corrupt inspectors, leading to the downfall of the criminal syndicate and a clean resolution.
Key Events
Network Exposure — Borowitz compiles and secures all proof of corruption. Characters: Inspector ReyLocation: IGPN HQ
Final Showdown — Borowitz moves in to arrest the corrupt inspectors. Characters: Inspector ReyLocation: Police Station
Gang War Resolution — Rival factions weaken significantly after the network is exposed. Characters: Théodore Musard Aka 'L'Auvergnat', Achille Volfoni, Aka 'Le Corse'Location: City Streets
Justice Served — Corrupt officials face legal consequences for their crimes.
Location: Courthouse
Mission Departure — Borowitz departs Nice after successfully completing his mission.
Location: Train Station
Story Breakdown
Identity Transformation — Borowitz abandons his official rank to adopt a criminal alias for deep undercover work.
IGPN Assignment — Receives direct orders to investigate systemic corruption in Nice.
Alias Adoption — Transforms into thug Antonio Cerruti to blend into criminal circles.
Underworld Infiltration — The protagonist establishes contact with rival mafia factions to gather intelligence.
Musard Contact — Approaches Théodore Musard to understand his operations.
Volfoni Contact — Approaches Achille Volfoni to map out his financial network.
Gang War Escalation — Deliberate provocation triggers open conflict between the two primary sponsors.
Provoking Conflict — Cerruti manipulates events to ignite violence between rivals.
Rival Factions Clash — Musard and Volfoni engage in escalating street warfare.
Corrupt Network Discovery — Borowitz uncovers the institutional rot linking law enforcement to organized crime.
Police-Mafia Ties — Discovers documents proving official police collaboration with the mafia.
Inspector Betrayal — Identifies Rey and Massard as paid operatives protecting the syndicate.
Antagonist Counterattack — Volfoni orders the corrupt inspectors to eliminate the undercover investigator.
Kill Order Issued — Volfoni explicitly commands Rey and Massard to harm Cerruti.
Ambush Attempts — Inspectors launch direct violent attacks in isolated locations.
Investigation & Evidence — Borowitz systematically compiles proof to dismantle the corruption network.
Crime Scene Analysis — Examines the murder of the corrupt commissioner for clues.
Document Compilation — Gathers financial records and witness testimonies into a secure file.
Final Confrontation — The protagonist moves in to arrest the corrupt officials and end the syndicate.
Inspector Arrests — Borowitz confronts and handcuffs Rey and Massard at the station.
Justice Served — Corrupt officials face legal consequences as the mafia collapses.
Mission Resolution — The investigation concludes with the protagonist departing after securing justice.
Aftermath Departure — Borowitz leaves Nice as the city stabilizes post-investigation.
Official Report — Files comprehensive IGPN documentation on the cleared corruption.
When the local police inspector was found dead in a prostitute's house, police division commissioner Stan Borowitz is sent to investigate the situation. Posing as the prostitute's long-lost brother "Antonio Cerruti," he discovers a mare's nest of police corruption. In fact, in this comedy thriller the whole town is corrupt. If they were closely examined, Stan's methods for pursuing this investigation might embarrass the police. For instance, he drives into a criminal's house in a fancy, expensive race car. In another incident, he callously blows up a casino owned by Musard , one of the town's crime bosses. On that occasion, he first forces Musard to remove his clothes, and the poor criminal watches his casino explode from across the square while standing naked in a phone booth. Meanwhile, Stan seduces the lovely Edmonde.
Directed by
Georges Lautner
Key Cast
Jean-Paul Belmondo — Divisional Commissioner Stanislas Borovitz / Antonio Cerutti
