Z (film)

Infobox Film
name = Z


caption = Theatrical poster
director = Costa Gavras
producer = Jacques Perrin
Ahmed Rachedi
writer = Story: Vassilis Vassilikos
Screenplay: Jorge Semprún Costa Gavras
starring = Jean-Louis Trintignant
Yves Montand
Irene Papas
Jacques Perrin
music = Mikis Theodorakis
cinematography = Raoul Coutard
editing = Françoise Bonnot
distributor = Cinema V (USA)
released = France:
February 26, 1969
runtime = 127 minutes
country = Algeria France
language = French
budget =
amg_id = 1:56098
imdb_id = 0065234|

"Z" is a 1969 French language political thriller directed by Costa Gavras, with a screenplay by Gavras and Jorge Semprún, based on the 1966 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. [imdb title | id=0065234 | title=Z.]

"Z" stars Jean-Louis Trintignant as the investigating magistrate (an analogue of Christos Sartzetakis, who would many years 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.

Plot

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 a rally of the opposition faction where the Deputy (Montand) is to give a speech advocating nuclear disarmament. It is obvious that there have been attempts to prevent the speech's delivery. The venue has been changed to a much smaller hall and logistical problems have appeared out of nowhere.As the Deputy crosses the street from the hall after giving his speech, a delivery truck speeds past him and a man on the open truck bed strikes him down with a club. The injury eventually proves fatal, and by that time it is already clear to the viewer that the police have manipulated witnesses to force the conclusion that the victim was simply run over by a drunk driver.

However, they do not control the hospital, where the autopsy disproves their interpretation. The examining magistrate (Trintignant), with the assistance of a photojournalist (Perrin), now 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, before listing the cast and crew, the filmmakers first 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, Harold Pinter, Edward Albee, Mark Twain, Samuel Beckett, the bar association, sociology, international encyclopedias, free press, and new math. Also banned is the letter Z, which was used as a symbolic reminder that Lambrakis and by extension the spirit of resistance lives ("zi" = "he (Lambrakis) lives").

Background

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) lives."

Cast

* Yves Montand as The Deputy
* Irene Papas as Helene, the Deputy's wife
* Jean-Louis Trintignant as The Examining Magistrate
* Jacques Perrin as Photojournalist
* Charles Denner as Manuel
* François Périer as Public Prosecutor
* Pierre Dux as The General
* Georges Géret as Nick
* Bernard Fresson as Matt
* Marcel Bozzuffi as Vago
* Julien Guiomar as The Colonel
* Magali Noël as Nick's Sister
* Renato Salvatori as Yago
* Habib Reda
* Clotilde Joano as Shoula

Critical reception

Film critic Roger Ebert liked the screenplay and its message, and wrote, " ["Z"] is a film of our time. It is about how even moral victories are corrupted. It will make you weep and will make you angry. It will tear your guts out...When the Army junta staged its coup in 1967, the right-wing generals and the police chief were cleared of all charges and "rehabilitated." Those responsible for unmasking the assassination now became political criminals. These would seem to be completely political events, but the young director Costa-Gravas has told them in a style that is almost unbearably exciting. "Z" is at the same time a political cry of rage and a brilliant suspense thriller. It even ends in a chase: Not through the streets but through a maze of facts, alibis and official corruption." [ [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19691230/REVIEWS/912300301/1023 Ebert, Roger] . "Chicago Sun-Times," film review, December 30, 1969. Last accessed: January 9, 2008.]

oundtrack

The soundtrack, by Mikis Theodorakis, was also a record hit.

The film featured, yet uncredited, Pierre Henry's contemporary hit song, "Psyché Rock."

Awards

Wins
* Cannes Film Festival: Best Actor, Jean-Louis Trintignant; Jury Prize, Costa-Gavras, Unanimously; 1969.
* New York Film Critics Circle Awards: NYFCC Award, Best Director, Costa-Gavras; Best Film; 1969.
* Academy Awards: Oscar, Best Film Editing, Françoise Bonnot; Best Foreign Language Film, Algeria; 1970. Note: It was the first film to be nominated for Academy Awards both for Best Foreign Language Film and for Best Picture.
* Golden Globes: Golden Globe, Best Foreign-Language Foreign Film, Algeria; 1970.
* British Academy of Film and Television Arts: Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music, Mikis Theodorakis; 1970.
* Edgar Award: Edgar, Best Motion Picture, Jorge Semprún and Costa-Gavras; 1970.
* National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA: NSFC Award Best Film; 1970.
* Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards 1970: Circle Awards: KCFCC Award, Best Foreign Film; 1971.

Nominations
* Cannes Film Festival: Golden Palm, Costa-Gavras, 1969.
* Academy Awards: Oscar, Best Director, Costa-Gavras; Best Picture, Jacques Perrin and Ahmed Rachedi; Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Jorge Semprún and Costa-Gavras; 1970.
* British Academy of Film and Television Arts: BAFTA Film Award, Best Film; Best Film Editing, Françoise Bonnot; Best Screenplay, Costa-Gavras and Jorge Semprún; UN Award; 1970.
* Directors Guild of America, USA: DGA Award, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, Costa-Gavras; 1970.

References

Notes

External links

*
*
* [http://www.theplaka.com/culture/film/z.htm "Z"] background and analysis at Plaka

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
years=1969
before="War and Peace"
after="Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion"succession box
title=Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film
years=1970
before="War and Peace
after="Women in Love"succession box
title=Jury Prize, Cannes
years=1969
before=n/a
after="Magasiskola" tied with
"The Strawberry Statement"