Tendre poulet (1978)
Directed by Philippe de Broca

Film Synopsis

Antoine Lemercier, a teacher in Greek at the Sorbonne, could not be happier when he is reunited with an old university acquaintance, Lise Tanquerelle.  Admittedly, the encounter is somewhat marred by the fact that Lise very nearly killed him when she ran her car into his moped, but Antoine is an easy-going sort of man and he is too grateful for the serendipitous reunion to bear any hard feelings.  It has been many years since they last met, and Antoine still hasn't forgotten the happy days they spent together in their youth.  Naturally, he invites his former sweetheart to dinner, but she is unable to attend, owing to a more pressing engagement.  In the warm ebullience of their reunion, Lise is unable to divulge the fact that she is a police superintendent.

It is a fortuitous omission, as Antoine is something of a political activist and loathes the police with every fibre of his being.  Before Lise can reveal her occupation to her old friend, she becomes involved up to her neck in the murder of a former minister named Grandville.  Her investigation soon puts her on the path of a political rival of the dead man, Mignonac.  When another politician, Maurice Rombard, is killed during a street demonstration, Lise is surprised to learn that the latter is connected with Mignonac's mistress Christine, leading her to conclude that a conspiracy maybe afoot.  It is at this inopportune moment that Antoine finds out his sweetheart's profession - and he is far from happy by the discovery.  A brutal exchange of words seems to put paid to a promising romance.  But then Antoine allows himself to get kidnapped by the very villains that Lise is pursuing, and it is up to her to save him...