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IMDbPro

Z

  • 19691969
  • M/PGM/PG
  • 2h 7m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
28K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,266
605
Z (1969)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Thriller
The public murder of a prominent politician and doctor amid a violent demonstration is covered up by military and government officials. A tenacious magistrate is determined not to let them g... Read allThe public murder of a prominent politician and doctor amid a violent demonstration is covered up by military and government officials. A tenacious magistrate is determined not to let them get away with it.The public murder of a prominent politician and doctor amid a violent demonstration is covered up by military and government officials. A tenacious magistrate is determined not to let them get away with it.
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
28K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,266
605
  • Director
    • Costa-Gavras
  • Writers
    • Vassilis Vassilikos(novel)
    • Jorge Semprún(dialogue)
    • Costa-Gavras(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Yves Montand
    • Irene Papas
    • Jean-Louis Trintignant
Top credits
  • Director
    • Costa-Gavras
  • Writers
    • Vassilis Vassilikos(novel)
    • Jorge Semprún(dialogue)
    • Costa-Gavras(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Yves Montand
    • Irene Papas
    • Jean-Louis Trintignant
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 120User reviews
    • 86Critic reviews
    • 86Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 12 wins & 13 nominations total

    Photos83

    Jean-Louis Trintignant in Z (1969)
    Charles Denner, Bernard Fresson, Jean-Pierre Miquel, and Yves Montand in Z (1969)
    Charles Denner in Z (1969)
    Yves Montand in Z (1969)
    Jean-Louis Trintignant and Jacques Perrin in Z (1969)
    Charles Denner and Yves Montand in Z (1969)
    Jean-Louis Trintignant and Jean Dasté in Z (1969)
    Z (1969)
    Z (1969)
    Z (1969)
    Jean-Louis Trintignant and Georges Géret in Z (1969)
    Georges Géret in Z (1969)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Yves Montand
    Yves Montand
    • Zas Z
    Irene Papas
    Irene Papas
    • Hélèneas Hélène
    • (as Irène Papas)
    Jean-Louis Trintignant
    Jean-Louis Trintignant
    • Le juge d'instructionas Le juge d'instruction
    François Périer
    François Périer
    • Le procureuras Le procureur
    Jacques Perrin
    Jacques Perrin
    • Le photojournalisteas Le photojournaliste
    Charles Denner
    Charles Denner
    • Manuelas Manuel
    Pierre Dux
    Pierre Dux
    • Le général de gendarmerie Missouas Le général de gendarmerie Missou
    Georges Géret
    Georges Géret
    • Nickas Nick
    Bernard Fresson
    Bernard Fresson
    • Mattas Matt
    Marcel Bozzuffi
    Marcel Bozzuffi
    • Vagoas Vago
    • (as Marcel Bozzufi)
    Julien Guiomar
    Julien Guiomar
    • Le colonel de gendarmerieas Le colonel de gendarmerie
    Magali Noël
    Magali Noël
    • La soeur de Nickas La soeur de Nick
    Renato Salvatori
    Renato Salvatori
    • Yagoas Yago
    Habib Reda
    Clotilde Joano
    Clotilde Joano
    • Shoulaas Shoula
    • (as Clotilde Joanno)
    Maurice Baquet
    • Le maçon héroïqueas Le maçon héroïque
    Sid Ahmed Agoumi
    Allel El Mouhib
    • Director
      • Costa-Gavras
    • Writers
      • Vassilis Vassilikos(novel)
      • Jorge Semprún(dialogue)
      • Costa-Gavras(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The actors falling off the truck had to do their own stunts as the low budget would not allow for a stuntman.
    • Goofs
      After Nick is hit on the front of the head, he holds the back of it.
    • Quotes

      Françoise Bonnot, Voiceover Narration: [final lines] 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.

    • Crazy credits
      Any resemblance to actual events, to persons living or dead, is not the result of chance. It is DELIBERATE. (Signed by) Jorge Semprún, Costa-Gavras
    • Connections
      Featured in Montand à la rencontre de Pagnol (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      Messe Pour le Temps Présent--Psyché Rock
      (uncredited)

      Composed and Performed by Pierre Henry

      Courtesy of Philips/PolyGram Records

      by arrangement with PolyGram Special Markets

      © 1967 Philips Classics Productions

    User reviews120

    Review
    Top review
    Historical moment at the Oscars and Tonight Show
    When the preview of "Z" was shown at the Oscars, it received a standing ovation. I didn't know why until I saw the movie. The Oscar forced it to be shown in the United States. At the time, the US backed the military government in Greece. The totalitarian government represented a stand against communism. This movie depicts the true story of a beloved olympic athlete who became a doctor and began speaking out against his Greek government. For that, he was murdered. This is about a brave investigator who begins to search for the origin of the orders to have the doctor killed.

    It leads to the downfall of a country. Mikis Theordorakis wrote the music from house arrest in Greece and it was smuggled out to be placed on the film. Yves Montand played the lead role and was blacklisted from getting a US Visa for his participation until some strings were pulled and he was allowed a 24 hour visa, to be extended each 24 hours in order to allow him to film "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever". At the end of filming,that night he made a surprise appearance on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. He told the story about "Z" and commented that he was in the care and custody of US Immigration and the FBI. The camera panned right and a dark suited man slid quickly behind the curtain. He apologized for his abruptness, but his visa expired at midnight and he had to get to the airport. When I saw these things, I was shocked my government would take a movie so seriously. When it showed up in an obscure movie theater in Houston, I had to go. I was the only person buying a ticket just after noon that day. Upon entering the theater, a dark suited man was sitting in the lobby. I walked into theater and then stuck my head back out to see what the only other individual in the theater was doing. He was stepping away from the ticket booth. I watched as he walked the short distance to my car, took out a notebook and wrote in it while looking at my license plate. This is how it happened. It was 1969. J. Edgar Hoover had stated publicly that no truly loyal American would pay money to see such a movie. It was unpatriotic. Newspaper articles that spring reported it.

    Watch this movie and consider the importance "entertainment" can have on government, media, and yourself.
    helpful•342
    13
    • lhwilliams
    • Aug 29, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 8, 1969 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Algeria
    • Official sites
      • Criterion (United States)
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • French
      • Russian
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Z - Anatomie eines politischen Mordes
    • Filming locations
      • St. George Hotel, 24 Avenue Soudoni Boudjemaa, Algiers, Algeria
    • Production companies
      • Valoria Films
      • Reggane Films
      • Office National pour le Commerce et l'Industrie Cinématographique (ONCIC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $83,305
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $10,144
      • Mar 15, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $83,305
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 7 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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