Philippe Noiret’s portrayal was genuinely enjoyable, though I found myself thinking Sir Peter Ustinov might have also had a good time with the role. The film takes place in French West Africa right before World War II begins. His town is small, mostly agricultural, and very insular, where Cordier serves as the local police officer. He’s admittedly something of a hapless individual, and everyone—starting with his wife Hugette (Stéphane Audran)—considers him foolish. Then, abruptly, he undergoes a transformation. He adopts the persona of an avenging angel and discovers that he rather likes killing people, fully aware that nobody is concerned with upholding the law. This newly emboldened character also begins an affair with Rose (Isabelle Huppert), who seems eager to participate in his revised approach to community management. It’s comedic, certainly, but very dark, as it explores themes of colonial dominance. This isn't limited to how they treat the local population, but extends to a social structure within their own community that is full of double standards, hypocrisy, and unpleasant contradictions. As things progress, we witness an amusing depiction of the offensive targeting the horrific, with nearly everyone ultimately receiving what’s coming to them. The writing—even through subtitles—is remarkably clever; Noiret and Audran share a wonderfully spiteful dynamic that's entertaining to observe from afar. It does falter somewhat toward the conclusion. Bernard Tavernier appears to have exhausted his ideas and struggles to bring things to an end with the same momentum as the preceding ninety minutes. Nevertheless, it employs satire to cast some amusing criticisms on the colonial elite, and I did find it agreeable overall.

Source on TMDB