Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970) – E. Petri

Almost grotesque in its point-making, Petri’s film targets corruption, fascism, and power by showing that a leader of the police force might theoretically be immune from prosecution, even for murder.  Gian Maria Volonte plays said cop, the head of the homicide division (but promoted to the head of the political division as the film begins), who murders his mistress and plants obvious clues incriminating himself to test whether he really is “above suspicion”.  Rather garish to look at, as some Italian films seem to be, and full of travelling shots, flashbacks, and minor characters that clutter things up a bit, this is still Volonte’s show as he dominates everything (and even more so when he starts targeting subversives as a function of his new role).  I guess it is blackly comic how the police and surrounding bureaucracy do everything possible to deny Volonte’s guilt, even when he goes so far as to confess.  I didn’t think this at the time but perhaps Donald Trump’s ability to get away with the most heinous sexist and racist actions also fits this pattern…although in this case, actions have been minimized by supporters rather than completely denied (but this too would keep an authoritarian leader in place).