Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto

I’m going to use what Miloš Forman said about Vladimír Menšík: "If he lived in America, he would have a shelf full of Oscars in his cottage"; the same applies to Gian Maria Volonté, the acting chameleon with a devilish twinkle in his eye. He's fantastic here, playing with every muscle in his face, and even though in some scenes he gets a little too carried away with his role (i.e. those typical Italian gestures and yelling), you just believe him that bastard with a Napoleon complex. No wonder this film has so many awards. Academies around the world have always heard of Kafkaesque absurd stories (Kafka is even quoted at the very end) that take on the threat of abuse of power by high-ranking officers, which here is taken to the point of absurdity, where the main character can do whatever he wants, aware of his position (chief of police) and the (almost) impunity that stems from it. A beautifully instructive lesson for our policemen and politicians, starting with Rath, ending with Babiš and Tuhý. (22.06.2016)

I had a feeling like I was sitting on an uncomfortable chair, with my hands tied behind my back, and in front of me, the director aggressively placed himself in the position of an investigator and shouted at me: "So, have you finally understood my artistic intention? Is everything really clear to you? Or do I have to repeat it again, you idiot?" The problem with the film is not the casting or the subject, but that it is overdone. The performance intentionally exaggerates to the point of being painful and appears significantly unnatural, like in a slapstick. This critique of the system could have worked excellently if it had been played civilly, with only subtle exaggeration, and if it had unsettled and confused the viewer and hadn't revealed everything immediately. With this film, at times, I had the feeling that instead of music, a circular saw was making noise. The peculiar investigation makes me feel like it could have been a perfect thriller if it had scaled back in several places. Overall impression: 45%. (23.10.2018)

A manipulative self-centered representative of the worst of the arrogance of the powerful, or a ritualist slowly going mad and internalizing rules and deifying order? At first glance, it seems like the former, but the tension between these poles creates a contradiction in the actions of the main character, who drives the story forward at a murderous pace. The attempt to have absolute control over the situation confirms the helplessness of others, in whose eyes and fear he can see his power and thus grow in his own eyes. On the other hand, there is the desire to be punished for breaking the boundaries of the law that defines the playground in which he has become the king. And given the ending, there is no need to doubt who the neck that moves the head belongs to. The film features excellent storytelling, camera work, editing, and of course music. Volonté's performance also catapults the film into heavenly spheres. (18.03.2014)

An Italian film, which in a truly unpleasant and depressing light shows what elitism is and how it is possible to do essentially anything and get away with it without being punished. It's quite sad that the film will soon be 50 years old, but its essence is still relevant and can still be applied to today's world. (12.04.2017)