"Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion" is a very interesting film to watch today because it's hard to imagine that Italy circa 1970 was in fact a sort of neo-fasicist place. While Mussolini was long gone, the story exposes how nationalistic and repressive the country had become just 25 years after Il Duce. For this reason alone, the film is important historically.
The head of the homicide department with the police has just been given a promotion--to be the head of the political branch. What this actually means is that he's in charge of a KGB-like organization which routinely ignores human rights and their motto seems to be 'the end justifies the means' when dealing with threats to the conservative government. While you are never sure exactly why, early in the film he murders his mistress. And, to make it more confusing, he often deliberately does things to make it obvious HE committed the crime. The weird way that his comrades in the government react to this information make this a film worth seeing. However, I should also point out that the movie isn't especially exciting or enjoyable to watch...and could have used a bit of life injected into the story.
The head of the homicide department with the police has just been given a promotion--to be the head of the political branch. What this actually means is that he's in charge of a KGB-like organization which routinely ignores human rights and their motto seems to be 'the end justifies the means' when dealing with threats to the conservative government. While you are never sure exactly why, early in the film he murders his mistress. And, to make it more confusing, he often deliberately does things to make it obvious HE committed the crime. The weird way that his comrades in the government react to this information make this a film worth seeing. However, I should also point out that the movie isn't especially exciting or enjoyable to watch...and could have used a bit of life injected into the story.