Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto (1970), known in the US as Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion is an film that begins with a great premise. The chief of homicide murders his mistress, then plants clues that implicate him in the crime. The chief has just been promoted to chief of the internal security squad, where he will oversee the activities of the branch of government that spies on students, labor unionists, and anyone else who questions that government's methods or goals. The film has two plots.
One is the re-emergence of fascism in the guise of anti-terrorism, and the other is the events following the chief's brutal crime. Either of these themes could have been developed into an excellent film.
The bad news is that the movie flounders in pop psychology, and ends up unsure of itself, of its point of view, and of its conclusion. Still, the protagonist--played by Gian Maria Volonté--is appropriately handsome in a brutal, unfeeling way, and his mistress--played by the Brazilian actress Florinda Bolkan--is appropriately beautiful in a disturbed and disturbing way.
I went to see this film with high hopes, which were not realized.
Too bad--Investigation of a Citizen started well, and could have been a winner.
One is the re-emergence of fascism in the guise of anti-terrorism, and the other is the events following the chief's brutal crime. Either of these themes could have been developed into an excellent film.
The bad news is that the movie flounders in pop psychology, and ends up unsure of itself, of its point of view, and of its conclusion. Still, the protagonist--played by Gian Maria Volonté--is appropriately handsome in a brutal, unfeeling way, and his mistress--played by the Brazilian actress Florinda Bolkan--is appropriately beautiful in a disturbed and disturbing way.
I went to see this film with high hopes, which were not realized.
Too bad--Investigation of a Citizen started well, and could have been a winner.