Z (1969 film)

Z is a 1969 film about the public murder of a prominent politician and doctor amid a violent demonstration that is covered up by military and government officials. A tenacious magistrate is determined not to let them get away with it. Directed by Costa-Gavras. Written by Jorge Semprún and Costa-Gavras, based on Z: Fictional Documentary of a Crime by Vassilis Vassilikos. He Is Alive! Z They struck me. Why? Why do the ideas we stand for incite such violence? Why is peace intolerable to them? Why don't they attack other organizations and movements? The answer is simple. The other movements are national, for domestic purposes, and thus leave our allies indifferent... A single cannon is fired and a teacher's monthly salary goes up in smoke. Worldwide, there are too many soldiers ready to fire at the slightest display of progress... We live in a weak and corrupt society where it's everyman for himself - Even imagination is suspect, yet it is required to solve the problems of our planet, where the destructive power of stockpiled nuclear warheads equals a ton of dynamite for each person. The truth is the start of powerful, united action. The General Our system is not an "-ism." This is a democracy. With the outbreak of such "-isms" as socialism, anarchism, imperialism, communism, etc., sunspots began to swarm across the face of the diurnal orb. God casts no light on the Reds. Scientists have announced a major increase in sunspots since the advent of beatniks, Provos, and, most of all, pacifist tendencies from Italy, France and Scandinavia. We must preserve the healthy parts of our society and heal the infected parts. Manuel Always blame the Americans. Even if you're wrong! We have a saying: "A hungry bear doesn't dance." Narrator The military regime banned: long hair, miniskirts, Sophocles, Tolstoy, Euripides, Russian-style toasts, strikes, Aristophanes, Ionesco, Sartre, Albee, Pinter, freedom of the press, sociology, Beckett, Dostoyevsky, modern music, pop music, new math, and the letter Z, which means HE LIVES in Ancient Greek. Other Title Card: Any similarity to real persons and events is not coincidental. It is INTENTIONAL. Attorney General: As if it's not enough that our country's been invaded by long-haired thugs, atheists and junkies of unclear sex, now you want to disparage our armed forces and courts - the only elements not corrupted by parliamentarianism. Just when we dream of renewal, a country without parties, without Left or Right, heeding God and its destiny, you want to ruin it all. Dialogue Attorney General: So you'd indict the chiefs of police and security? Examining Magistrate: It's inevitable. Attorney General: Only events dictated by divine will are inevitable. Examining Magistrate: What did you do the day of the murder? The General: I'd decided to attend the Bolshoi. Not out of love for dance. I'm no pervert, thank God. But it was a chance to spot sympathizers. Le rédacteur en chef du journal: What happened to you? Vago: There was a demonstration. We taught the bastards a lesson. They can't stop them from getting or keep us from reacting either. It's like a biological process. You see, we're society's healthy elements, its antibodies. We gave 'em hell. The General: That one's a mad dog. He'll make the most of it. No shame. A Jew, naturally. Le colonel de gendarmerie: A half-Jew. The General: Worst kind. They feel superior even to other Jews. Examining Magistrate: Any convictions? Vago: Yes, four. Examining Magistrate: Four? Vago: Yes, four. Illegal possession of a weapon, abuse and slander, theft - and rape. Examining Magistrate: Rape? Vago: It wasn't really. I was a Boy Scout camp counselor. Examining Magistrate: You're a Communist. Vago: Me? Examining Magistrate: You and Yago. You're friends. It was something you let slip out: "A rich man catches a cold, we poor still have to work or we die." Then you caught yourself and stopped. Vago: I hate Communists! Examining Magistrate: Not words. I want proof! Only a Communist would say that. Vago: I belong to an anti-Communist group! Examining Magistrate: And Yago? Vago: Yago too. Examining Magistrate: Which one? Vago: CROC! Christian Royalist Organization against Communism. La mère de Nick: Come and eat. Nick: He killed a man. La mère de Nick: What man? Nick: A deputy. La mère de Nick: In the government? Nick: No, the opposition. La mère de Nick: He did right. What's it to you? Nick: He got his picture in the paper. La mère de Nick: Eat. Let them kill each other. Cast Jean-Louis Trintignant - The Examining Magistrate (based on Christos Sartzetakis) Yves Montand - The Deputy (Grigoris Lambrakis) / Z Irene Papas - Helene (Roula Lambrakis – the Deputy's wife) Pierre Dux - The General (Konstantinos Mitsou) Jacques Perrin - Photojournalist (composite character, partly based on Giorgos Bertsos) Charles Denner - Manuel (Manolis Glezos) François Périer - The Public Prosecutor Georges Géret - Nick Bernard Fresson - Matt Marcel Bozzuffi - Vago (Emmanouel Emmannouilidis – man who struck Lambrakis) Julien Guiomar - The Colonel (Efthimios Kamoutsis) Magali Noël - Nick's sister Renato Salvatori - Yago (Spyro Gotzamanis – the driver) External links 0065234 Category:1969 films Category:Crime thriller films Category:French films Category:Political thriller films Category:Films based on novels