1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

Costa-Gavras Konstantinos "Kostas" Gavras (; born 12 February 1933), known professionally as Costa-Gavras, is a Greek-French film director, screenwriter, and producer who lives and works in France. He is known for political films, such as the political thril ...

Louis Seigner Louis Seigner (23 June 1903 – 20 January 1991) was a French actor.He was born in Saint-Chef, Isère, France, the son of Louise (Monin) and Joseph Seigner, and died in Paris. He was the father of actress Françoise Seigner, with Marie Cazeaux, a ...

Roland Bertin Roland Bertin (16 November 1930 – 20 February 2024) was a French stage and film actor. He appeared in at least 100 films and television shows from 1970 onwards. Bertin died on 20 February 2024, at the age of 93. Selected filmography * '' Le ...

Michael Lonsdale Michael Edward Lonsdale Crouch (24 May 1931 – 21 September 2020), commonly known as Michael Lonsdale and sometimes as Michel Lonsdale, was a French-British actor and author who appeared in over 180 films and television shows. He is often ...

Ivo Garrani Ivo Garrani (6 February 1924 – 25 March 2015) was an Italian actor and voice actor. In films since 1952, Garrani is possibly best known for his role as Prince Vajda in Mario Bava's '' Black Sunday'' (1960). Biography Born in Introdacqua, ...

François Maistre François Maistre (14 May 1925 – 16 May 2016) was a French film, television and theatre actor. Born in Demigny, Saône-et-Loire, France, he appeared in nearly 100 films between 1960 and 2003. His father was singer and actor A.-M. Julien. Se ...

Jacques Spiesser Jacques Spiesser (born 7 June 1947) is a French actor. Biography After having taken courses at the Conservatoire, he made his film debut in 1972 in Nina Companeez's '' Faustine et le bel été'' with Muriel Catala. He is best known to English ...

Heinz Bennent Heinz Bennent (18 July 1921 – 12 October 2011) was a German actor. Biography Bennent was born in Stolberg. He was conscripted into the Luftwaffe during World War II, where he was captured by Allied forces and spent much of the war in POW c ...

Claude Piéplu Claude Léon Auguste Piéplu (9 May 1923, Paris – 24 May 2006, Paris) was a French theatre, film and television actor. He was known for his hoarse and frayed voice.Special Sections of

Vichy France Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the Battle of France, ...

. The film shared the

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...

prize at the

1975 Cannes Film Festival The 28th Cannes Film Festival took place from 9 to 23 May 1975. French actress Jeanne Moreau served as jury president for the main competition. Algerian filmmaker Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama ...

, and was nominated for

Best Foreign Language Film The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...

by the U.S.

National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered the first major harbinger of the film awards season that ...

. It was also nominated for a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...

award for best foreign film.

Plot

In France during the

German occupation German-occupied Europe, or Nazi-occupied Europe, refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly militarily occupied and civil-occupied, including puppet states, by the (armed forces) and the government of Nazi Germany at ...

, a young German naval officer is killed in Paris by a group of leftist activists. The compliant Vichy government seeks to appease the Germans by locating the perpetrators and agreeing to the execution of six people, and a special section is set up for this purpose. The section consists of judges who are too ambitious, cowardly or inhuman to refuse such work. The flames of totalitarianism must be stoked, even with innocent blood, and it is especially convenient to the government if the accused are thoroughly expendable in their eyes.

Cast

*

Louis Seigner Louis Seigner (23 June 1903 – 20 January 1991) was a French actor.He was born in Saint-Chef, Isère, France, the son of Louise (Monin) and Joseph Seigner, and died in Paris. He was the father of actress Françoise Seigner, with Marie Cazeaux, a ...

- Le garde des Sceaux *

Roland Bertin Roland Bertin (16 November 1930 – 20 February 2024) was a French stage and film actor. He appeared in at least 100 films and television shows from 1970 onwards. Bertin died on 20 February 2024, at the age of 93. Selected filmography * '' Le ...

- Le secrétaire général du ministère de la Justice *

Michael Lonsdale Michael Edward Lonsdale Crouch (24 May 1931 – 21 September 2020), commonly known as Michael Lonsdale and sometimes as Michel Lonsdale, was a French-British actor and author who appeared in over 180 films and television shows. He is often ...

- Le ministre de l'intérieur *

Ivo Garrani Ivo Garrani (6 February 1924 – 25 March 2015) was an Italian actor and voice actor. In films since 1952, Garrani is possibly best known for his role as Prince Vajda in Mario Bava's '' Black Sunday'' (1960). Biography Born in Introdacqua, ...

- L'amiral *

François Maistre François Maistre (14 May 1925 – 16 May 2016) was a French film, television and theatre actor. Born in Demigny, Saône-et-Loire, France, he appeared in nearly 100 films between 1960 and 2003. His father was singer and actor A.-M. Julien. Se ...

- Le délégué général *

Jacques Spiesser Jacques Spiesser (born 7 June 1947) is a French actor. Biography After having taken courses at the Conservatoire, he made his film debut in 1972 in Nina Companeez's '' Faustine et le bel été'' with Muriel Catala. He is best known to English ...

- Fredo * Henri Serre - Le délégué du ministère de l'intérieur en zone occupée *

Heinz Bennent Heinz Bennent (18 July 1921 – 12 October 2011) was a German actor. Biography Bennent was born in Stolberg. He was conscripted into the Luftwaffe during World War II, where he was captured by Allied forces and spent much of the war in POW c ...

- Maj. Beumelburg *

Pierre Dux Pierre Dux (21 October 1908 – 1 December 1990) was a French stage director, stage actor, and film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1932 and 1990. Filmography References External links * 1908 births 1990 deaths Burials at ...

- Le procureur général *

Jacques François Henri Jacques Daniel Paul François (; 16 May 1920 – 25 November 2003), known as Jacques François was a French actor. During a sixty-year career (1942–2002) he appeared in more than 120 films and over 30 stage productions. Biography ...

- Le procureur de l'Etat *

Claudio Gora Claudio Gora, '' Emilio Giordana '' (27 July 1913 – 13 March 1998) was an Italian actor and film director. He was particularly prolific, making some 155 appearances in film and television over nearly 60 years (from 1939 to 1997). In the 1950s ...

- Le premier président de la cour d'appel *

Michel Galabru Michel Louis Edmond Galabru (27 October 19224 January 2016) was a French actor. Career Galabru appeared in more than 250 films and worked with directors such as Bertrand Blier, Costa-Gavras, Luc Besson (for '' Subway''), and Jean-Luc Godard. ...

- Le président Cournet *

Claude Piéplu Claude Léon Auguste Piéplu (9 May 1923, Paris – 24 May 2006, Paris) was a French theatre, film and television actor. He was known for his hoarse and frayed voice.Hubert Gignoux Hubert is a Germanic masculine given name, from ''hug'' "mind" and '' beraht'' "bright". It also occurs as a surname. Saint Hubert of Liège (or Hubertus) (c. 656 – 30 May 727) is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and m ...

- Le juge en 'noir' * Jacques Ouvrier - Le conseiller *

Alain Nobis Alain may refer to: People * Alain (given name), common given name, including list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Alain (surname) * "Alain", a pseudonym for cartoonist Daniel Brustlein * Alain, a standard author abbreviation u ...

- Le premier conseiller *

Jean Bouise Jean Bouise (3 June 1929 – 6 July 1989) was a French actor. He was born in Le Havre. In the 1950s he helped to found Théâtre de la Cité, and was a player in the company. He entered films in the 1960s, and played a supporting roles in ...

- Le conseiller Linais *

Nathalie Roussel Nathalie Roussel (born 14 September 1956) is a French actress of stage, television and film. She is best known for her role in the 1991 films '' My Father's Glory'' and ''My Mother's Castle''. Filmography *'' Les violons du bal'' (1974) .... L ...

Reception

Costa-Gavras' film stirred some controversy as it told a story of

Vichy France Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the Battle of France, ...

, which made some critics feel that it was a one-sided piece about collaboration. Costa-Gavras stated that he was aiming for the truth and felt that he achieved it with the film. Despite the debate, it opened to positive reviews in France and the U.S.

References

External links

* 1975 drama films 1975 films 1970s war drama films Films based on French novels Films directed by Costa Gavras Films produced by Jacques Perrin Films scored by Michel Legrand 1970s French-language films French war drama films Vichy France in fiction 1970s French films French-language war drama films {{war-drama-film-stub