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IMDbPro

Z

  • 19691969
  • PGPG
  • 2h 7m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
30K
YOUR RATING
Z (1969)
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.
Play trailer3:48
1 Video
83 Photos
CrimeDramaThriller
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
30K
YOUR RATING
    • Costa-Gavras
  • Writers
    • Vassilis Vassilikos(novel)
    • Jorge Semprún(dialogue)
    • Costa-Gavras(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Yves Montand
    • Irene Papas
    • Jean-Louis Trintignant
    • 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
    • 124User reviews
    • 88Critic reviews
    • 86Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:48
    Watch Trailer

    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
    • Z
    Irene Papas
    Irene Papas
    • Hélène
    • (as Irène Papas)
    Jean-Louis Trintignant
    Jean-Louis Trintignant
    • Le juge d'instruction
    François Périer
    François Périer
    • Le procureur
    Jacques Perrin
    Jacques Perrin
    • Le photojournaliste
    Charles Denner
    Charles Denner
    • Manuel
    Pierre Dux
    Pierre Dux
    • Le général de gendarmerie Missou
    Georges Géret
    Georges Géret
    • Nick
    Bernard Fresson
    Bernard Fresson
    • Matt
    Marcel Bozzuffi
    Marcel Bozzuffi
    • Vago
    • (as Marcel Bozzufi)
    Julien Guiomar
    Julien Guiomar
    • Le colonel de gendarmerie
    Magali Noël
    Magali Noël
    • La soeur de Nick
    Renato Salvatori
    Renato Salvatori
    • Yago
    Habib Reda
    Clotilde Joano
    Clotilde Joano
    • Shoula
    • (as Clotilde Joanno)
    Maurice Baquet
    • Le maçon héroïque
    Sid Ahmed Agoumi
    Allel El Mouhib
      • Costa-Gavras
    • Writers
      • Vassilis Vassilikos(novel)
      • Jorge Semprún(dialogue)
      • Costa-Gavras(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more 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 reviews124

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    The most important political film in Greece
    First and foremost, it is a true story. It's the story of the assassination of Grigoris Lambrakis, that eventually led to the military junta. Every time I see it, it gives me the chills. Since Z was released while the junta was still in power, it was banned in Greece for several years. After the fall of the military junta, Z was worshiped, although we saw it on TV much later in order to avoid stirring passions. In terms of the plot, if you're not Greek, it's quite possible you might be left with many unanswered questions, but, in general, it is an accurate description of Greece during that era.

    While Vassilikos' novel (written in 1966) has driven him to exile from 1967, Theodorakis was still in Greece under surveillance and managed to write his excellent score secretly.

    Costa-Gavras gives us a top-class fast paced direction which hasn't aged even today, although I'm sure the Oscar was as much a political decision as a purely artistic one. What is truly spot-on is the casting. Both Montand and Trintignant excel, but even minor roles like Vago and Yago are portrayed in an extremely realistic way. My small objection would be Irene Papas staying near-silent throughout the movie. Although her talent allows her to pull it off with class, I really didn't understand why she was not supposed to talk.
    helpful•113
    11
    • Angeneer
    • Jul 13, 1999

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 26, 1969 (France)
      • France
      • Algeria
      • Criterion (United States)
      • Official site
      • French
      • Russian
      • English
    • Also known as
    • 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
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 7 minutes
      • Color
      • Mono

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