Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto (1970)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Elio Petri

Writers:

Elio Petri (writer) and
Ugo Pirro (writer)

Release Date:

9 February 1970 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

When you're a big man in the big city, can you get away with murder ? [UK Theatrical]

Plot:

A chief of detectives, homicide section, kills his mistress and deliberately leaves clues to prove his own responsibility for the crime.

Plot Keywords:

Mistress | Italy | Extramarital Affair | Non Linear | Fascist

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Gian Maria Volontè	...	Il Dottore - former head of homicide squad
Florinda Bolkan	...	Augusta Terzi
Gianni Santuccio	...	Questore
Orazio Orlando	...	Brigadiere Biglia
Sergio Tramonti	...	Antonio Pace
Arturo Dominici	...	Mangani
Aldo Rendine	...	Nicola Panunzio
Massimo Foschi	...	Terzi - Augusta's Husband
Aleka Paizi	...	Inspector's Maid
Vittorio Duse	...	Canes
Pino Patti	...	Head of wire-tapping office
Salvo Randone	...	Plumber
Giuseppe Licastro
Filippo De Gara	...	Police Official
Fulvio Grimaldi	...	Patanè - 'Paese Sera' journalist

Also Known As:

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (UK) (USA)
Investigation of a Citizen... Above Suspicion (USA) (poster title)
Investigation of a Private Citizen

Runtime:

112 min | Norway:115 min (1970)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (1986) | UK:X (1971) (cut) | West Germany:16 | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Incir De Paolis, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Vera Films S.p.a.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in La cura del gorilla (2006)

very interesting movie, though a bit puzzling

When the movie starts, a man meets with his lover, and while they begin to have sex, he slits her throat. After washing in the bathroom, he's careful to leave his foot and fingerprints in conspicuous places, and places a thread from his tie under his victim's fingernails.

We then learn that he is the chief of homicide, who's been promoted to a job in political intelligence. The questions remain, why did he murder her, and why did he leave clues implicating himself?

Through flashbacks, we get some idea of what his relationship with the woman was. We also see that some other people become suspects. However, he is in charge of the investigation, and periodically presents even more evidence pointing to himself.

An unusual story. I'm not sure I understood the ending. The video I watched was dubbed in English, and subtitled in Dutch. Perhaps if there is a release of a copy in Italian with new English subtitles, it will be possible to understand the story better.