Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion

Plot

A recently promoted police inspector (Gian Maria Volontè) kills his mistress (Florinda Bolkan), and then covers up his involvement in the crime. He insinuates himself into the investigation, planting clues to steer his subordinate officers toward a series of other suspects, including the woman's gay husband and a student radical. He then exonerates the other suspects and leads the investigators toward him, in order to prove that he is "above suspicion" and can get away with anything, even while being investigated. In the end, he confesses to the crime in front of his superiors - who refuse to believe him. Sure that he is safe, he recants his confession, and receives the approval of the police commissioner.

Release

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion was released in Italy on February 9, 1970 where it was distributed by Euro International Film. In Italy, the film had a domestic gross of 1,928,248,000 Italian lire.

Awards

The film was highly regarded in its own time, winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and both the FIPRESCI Prize and the Grand Prize at the 1970 Cannes Film Festival. Also it won as Best Foreign Language Film at the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards 1971 and the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Mystery Screenplay.

Critical reception

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion was well received by critics and is widely considered one of the best international films of the 1970s. The New York Times called the film "a suspense melodrama with the moral concerns of angry satire...When it opened in Italy early this year (and later, when it was shown at Cannes), Investigation was hailed for the ways in which it exposed the corrupt, authoritarian practices of the police, who place themselves above their own laws...The story moves forward with a relentless momentum. It is a political parable, and a stunning movie."

Unmade American Remake

The Cannon Group had hoped to remake the original film with Andrei Konchalovsky attached to direct. Paul Schrader was attached to write, as he wrote both a story treatment and a screenplay. It was going to have either both Al Pacino or Christopher Walken to star as the main character "Jude Mazzo", the U.S. Attorney. Originally, Cannon released an ad, planning to shoot in October 1987, and having it premiere it at Cannes in 1988, although it never got made as it was shelved. Although it remained shelved, until in the 90s, it was resurrected by Jodie Foster's production company Egg Pictures, while Sidney Lumet was attached to direct, which it never made to its pre-production stages.