The Police War

The Police War (La guerre des polices) is a 1979 French crime drama directed by Robin Davis, with a screenplay by Jean-Patrick Manchette and starring Claude Brasseur, Claude Rich and Marlène Jobert. Its French title refers to the rivalry between two divisions of the national police: the Territorial Brigade and the Anti-Gang Brigade.

The story draws loosely on the real-life competition between these units to capture gangster Jacques Mesrine, then regarded as France's public enemy number one. Mesrine was shot dead by police only ten days before the film's release, and the resulting public curiosity helped turn the picture into a box-office success in France. For his leading performance, Claude Brasseur received the César Award for Best Actor.