Z (film)
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| Z | |
|---|---|
 Original poster; the French for "Il est vivant!" ("he is alive!") can be seen in the caption under the large Z, referring to the popular Greek protest slogan "Ζει" meaning "he [Lambrakis] is alive". |
|
| Directed by | Costa Gavras |
| Produced by | Jacques Perrin Ahmed Rachedi |
| Written by | Vassilis Vassilikos (novel) Jorge Semprún Costa Gavras |
| Starring | Jean-Louis Trintignant Yves Montand Irene Papas Jacques Perrin |
| Distributed by | Cinema V (USA) |
| Release date(s) |  February 26, 1969 |
| Running time | 127 min. |
| Language | French |
| IMDb profile | |
Z is a 1969 French language political thriller directed by Costa Gavras, with a screenplay by Gavras and Jorge Semprún, based on the novel of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos.
The film presents a thinly fictionalized account of the events surrounding the assassination of democratic Greek politician Gregoris Lambrakis in 1963. With its satirical view of Greek politics, its dark sense of humor, and its chilling ending, the film captures the sense of outrage about the military dictatorship that ruled Greece at the time of its making.
The film stars Jean-Louis Trintignant as the investigating magistrate Christos Sartzetakis (who would later become President of Greece). International stars Yves Montand and Irene Papas also appear, but despite their star billing have very little screen time compared to the other principals. Jacques Perrin, who co-produced, plays a key role.
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[edit] Synopsis
The location of the action is never expressly stated (filming took place primarily in Algiers), but there are hints (such as a Greek typewriter) that it is Greece in the early 1960s. Furthermore, in the opening credits there is a counter-disclaimer which reads (in translation): "Any resemblance to real events, to persons living or dead, is not accidental. It is DELIBERATE."
The story begins with the closing moments of a rather dull government lecture and slide show on agricultural policy, after which the leader of the security police of a right-wing military-dominated government takes over the podium for an impassioned speech describing the government's program to combat leftism, using the metaphors of "a mildew of the mind", an infiltration of "isms", or "sunspots".
The scene then shifts to preparations for the Deputy (Montand) to arrive to give a speech at a rally of the opposition faction. it is obvious that there have been attempts to obstacle the speech's delivery. The venue has been changed to a much smaller hall and logistical problems have appeared out of nowhere.
As he leaves the hall after giving his speech, the Deputy is run down by a delivery truck and suffers a fatal brain injury. The examining magistrate (Trintignant), with the assistance of the photojournalist (Perrin) uncovers sufficient evidence to indict not only the two right-wing militants who committed the murder, but also four high-ranking military police officers. The action of the film concludes with one of the Deputy's associates rushing to see the Deputy's widow (Papas) to give her the surprising news.
Instead of the expected positive outcome, however, the prosecutor is mysteriously removed from the case, key witnesses die under suspicious circumstances, the assassins, though convicted of murder, receive (relatively) short sentences, the officers receive only administrative reprimands, the Deputy's close associates die or are deported, and the photojournalist is sent to prison for disclosing official documents.
As the closing credits roll, instead of listing the cast and crew, the filmmakers list the things banned by the junta. They include: peace movements, strikes, labor unions, long hair on men, The Beatles, other modern and popular music ("la musique populaire"), Sophocles, Leo Tolstoy, Aeschylus, writing that Socrates was homosexual, Eugène Ionesco, Jean-Paul Sartre, Anton Chekhov, Mark Twain, Samuel Beckett, the bar association, sociology, international encyclopedias, free press, new math. Also banned is the letter Z, which has been scrawled on the sidewalk as the film's final image, as a symbolic reminder that Lambrakis and by extension the spirit of resistance lives (zi = "he (Lambrakis) lives").
[edit] Awards
Z won several top awards:
- 1969 Academy Awards
- The Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Picture
- It was named best film by the New York Film Critics Circle Awards and National Society of Film Critics Awards.
- 1969 Cannes Film Festival
- The Jury Prize
- Jean-Louis Trintignant won the Best Male Actor award at Cannes
- The film was nominated for, but did not win, the Golden Palm
- An Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Foreign Film Screenplay.
The soundtrack, by Mikis Theodorakis, was also a hit.
[edit] Cast
- Yves Montand - The Deputy
- Irene Papas - Helene, the Deputy's wife
- Jean-Louis Trintignant - The Examining Magistrate
- Jacques Perrin - Photojournalist
- Charles Denner - Manuel
- François Périer - Public Prosecutor
- Pierre Dux - The General
- Georges Géret - Nick (as Georges Geret)
- Bernard Fresson - Matt
- Marcel Bozzuffi - Vago (as Marcel Bozzufi)
- Julien Guiomar - The Colonel
- Magali Noël - Nick's Sister
- Renato Salvatori - Yago
- Habib Reda
- Clotilde Joano - Shoula (as Clotilde Joanno)
- Maurice Baquet - The Bald Man
- Sid Ahmed Agoumi
- Allel El Mouhib
- Hassan Hassani - The General's Chaffeur
- Gérard Darrieu - Baron
- Jean Bouise - Georges Pirou
- Jean-Pierre Miquel - Pierre
- Van Doude - The Hospital Director
- Jean Dasté - Illya Coste
- Jean-François Gobbi - Jimmy the Boxer
- Guy Mairesse - Dumas
- Andrée Tainsy - Nick's Mother
- Eva Simonet - Niki
- José Artur - Newspaper Editor (uncredited)
- Raoul Coutard - The english surgeon (uncredited)
- Bob de Bragelonne - Undersecretary of State (uncredited)
- Steve Gadler - English Photographer (uncredited)
- Gabriel Jabbour - Bozzini (uncredited)
- Georges Rouquier (uncredited)
[edit] External links
- Z at the Internet Movie Database
| Preceded by: War and Peace |
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1969 |
Succeeded by: Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion |
