Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion Poster.jpg
Original poster
Directed by Elio Petri
Produced by Marina Cicogna
Daniele Senatore
Written by Elio Petri
Ugo Pirro
Starring Gian Maria Volontè
Florinda Bolkan
Music by Ennio Morricone
Cinematography Luigi Kuveiller
Edited by Ruggero Mastroianni
Distributed by Columbia Pictures (US release)
Release dates
 <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • 9 February 1970 (1970-02-09)
Running time
 112 minutes
Country Italy
Language Italian

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (Italian: Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto ) is a 1970 Italian crime drama film directed by Elio Petri. It is a dramatic, psychological, black-humored satire on corruption in high office, telling the story of a top police officer who kills his mistress, and then tests whether the police would charge him for this crime. He begins manipulating the investigation by seen planting obvious clues while the other police officers ignore them, either intentionally or not.

Plot

A recently promoted police inspector (Gian Maria Volontè) kills his mistress (Florinda Bolkan), and then covers up his involvement in the crime. He insinuates himself into the investigation, planting clues to steer his subordinate officers toward a series of other suspects, including the woman's gay husband and a student radical. He then exonerates the other suspects and leads the investigators toward him, in order to prove that he is "above suspicion" and can get away with anything, even while being investigated. In the end, he confesses to the crime in front of his superiors - who refuse to believe him. Sure that he is safe, he recants his confession, and receives the approval of the police commissioner.

Cast

Actor Role
Gian Maria Volontè Police Inspector
Florinda Bolkan Augusta Terzi
Gianni Santuccio Police Commissioner
Orazio Orlando Biglia
Sergio Tramonti Antonio Pace
Arturo Dominici Mangani
Aldo Rendine Nicola Panunzio
Massimo Foschi Augusta's Husband
Aleka Paizi Inspector's Maid
Vittorio Duse Canes
Pino Patti
Salvo Randone Plumber
Giuseppe Licastro
Filippo De Gara Policeman
Fulvio Grimaldi Paese Sera journalist

Awards

The film was highly regarded in its own time, winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film,[1] and both the FIPRESCI Prize and the Grand Prize at the 1970 Cannes Film Festival.[2] Also it won as Best Foreign Language Film at the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards 1971 and the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Mystery Screenplay.

Critical reception

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion was well received by critics and is widely considered one of the best international films of the 1970s. The New York Times called the film "a suspense melodrama with the moral concerns of angry satire...When it opened in Italy early this year (and later, when it was shown at Cannes), Investigation was hailed for the ways in which it exposed the corrupt, authoritarian practices of the police, who place themselves above their own laws...The story moves forward with a relentless momentum. It is a political parable, and a stunning movie."[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Investigation_of_a_Citizen_Above_Suspicion&oldid=3443622"