I... For Icarus (1979)

Conspiracy thriller inspired by the conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of JFK. After a fictional president is assassinated, a determined, tough prosecutor investigates the emerging conspiracy behind it.

Director:

Henri Verneuil

Writers:

Henri Verneuil (scenario), Henri Verneuil (screenplay)

Stars:

Yves Montand, Michel Albertini, Roland Amstutz

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yves Montand	...	Le procureur Henri Volney
Michel Albertini	...	Luigi Lacosta
Roland Amstutz	...	Pierre Gregory
Jean-Pierre Bagot	...	Michaël Mix
Georges Beller	...	Sam Kido
Maurice Bénichou	...	Robert Sanio, l'homme à la caméra
Edmond Bernard	...	Le présentateur TV
Françoise Bette	...	Jane Bellony
Roland Blanche	...	Garcia Santos
Benoît Brione	...	Le reporter au bobino (as Benoist Brione)
Jacques Brylant	...	Nicolas Rosenko (as Jacques Bryland)
Gabriel Cattand	...	Le président Marc Jarry
Nanette Corey
Jacques Denis	...	Despaul, le cobaye
Erick Desmarestz	...	Bob Dagan

Storyline

After the recently re-elected President of a fictitious state has been assassinated, one of the members of the investigation committee refuses to sign the final report and is given the task of investigating once more. In the course of his search he finds evidence that casts serious doubt on the committee's "lone-gunman" theory... A very bold film that basically told the "JFK" story thinly disguised as having taken place not in the US.

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Plot Keywords:

investigation | muckraking | political assassination | sharpshooter | main character shot | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

19 December 1979 (France)

Also Known As:

'I' als in Icaros

Filming Locations:

La Défense, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

V Films, Société Française de Production (SFP), France 2 (FR2)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title "I for Icarus" is a metaphor from the Greek myth of Icarus. He died for flying too close to the sun when he escaped from the Daedalus' labyrinth, not listening to his father's instructions. It fits the main theme of the film about submission to authority and the destiny of Henri Volney, who came too close from the truth.

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Goofs

The amateur video sold to Procureur Henry Volney was shot using at least 2 cameras : one for the wide shot of the car in the crowd, and one for a closer shot, at a different angle, of the president being killed.

User Reviews

Gripping

Henri Verneuil was one of France's top movie makers and this film is a prime example of that. It is based on the JFK assassination but takes place in a fictitious country ( not France or America ) and treats the whole affair in great detail. Although the language of the film is French, the décors are deliberately impersonal and not typical of any country or indeed typical of all countries (!! if you see what I mean ) Yves Montand is excellent as the investigator, I find this kind of role suits him well just as in Police Python 357 - a solitary man making tendious and throrough investigations The film is constructed in such a way that you never get bored even through the phsychological test sequence which is admittedly a little over long. The film has not been shown on French TV for some time and is not available on DVD here but I see Police Python 357 appears recently on DVD so I 'm sure that I comme Icare will surely follow suit.