Comment tuer un juge

"How to Kill a Judge" is a methodically paced, politically loaded Italian crime drama showcasing ever-charismatic Franco Nero to great effect. Nero plays Giacomo Solaris, a filmmaker whose latest project becomes a big success. In it, he portrays a chief prosecutor as corrupt and in the Mafias' pocket. Then, later in real life, the man who served as the basis for this character is murdered. As the question of how much blame Solaris should get for this event is posed, the filmmaker is concerned enough to do his own sleuthing. Sometimes he does this with the prosecutors' widow (Francoise Fabian) at his side.

This film might not have quite enough action or violence to suit some fans of that genre known as "Poliziotteschi", which is Italian crime fiction. What it has is plenty of dialogue, as it pointedly goes about examining themes such as politics, corruption, personal accountability, and how far some people will go to protect their own interests. Context is also important, as when this was made, Italy was experiencing an era of politically-motivated violence.

Director Damiano Damiani, who also concocted the story, makes fine use out of various locations, and gets vivid performances out of his well chosen cast. Nero is fun to watch, as he is usually is, and there are some striking character faces among the cast: Vincenzo Norvese as Bellolampo the mobster, Luciano Catenacci as Meloria the attorney, Gianni Zavota as police commissioner Zamagna, etc.

One element that really stands out is the melodic, wonderful soundtrack composed by Riz Ortolani, famous among horror fans for his memorable score for "Cannibal Holocaust".

All in all, this is pretty good, but with so much talk going on, one really has to pay attention to stay on their toes.

Seven out of 10.

How to Kill a Judge is a very entertaining and well-paced 70s Italian crime drama despite being nearly two hours long. My praise for these films is not hollow when I say poliziotteschi have withstood the test of time in terms of their sheer watchability despite their cynical view of human nature, advanced age, and basic requirement of the viewer's long attention span. It begs the question if Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather at almost three hours in length was an attempt to out-do the poliziotteschi without putting the audience to sleep, as some sort of personal challenge, as it also emphasizes the overall theme of how corruption never seems to die when the Sicilian mafia and/or Italy's right wing establishment are involved.

However, the idealistic main character showcased in Perche si uccide un magistrato is reminiscent of other 1970s leftist films like Love & Anarchy or The Seduction of Mimi which fall outside of the sub-genre as serious, dramatic tragicomedies that are still regarded as high art. While I didn't find this tale as enchanting as the mythos of The Godfather or as delightful as Love & Anarchy, How to Kill a Judge is a fine example of a poliziotteschi with decidedly more value placed on ideas than car chases.

More realism from Damiano Damiani which means no car chases and only slight violence. Plus the film is too damn long! Nearly two hours of drama. On the plus side, it's a film in an exploitation genre that is about a film itself being exploited for political purposes. Let's plunge into the plot for several paragraphs, after which I'm going to expose my balls.

In Palermo, Franco Nero is a journalist/filmmaker type who believes the best way to get to the people is through the medium of film, and therefore he has just released a very political (and arty) film about a corrupt magistrate who is eventually killed for his crimes. Nero's film is gathering a huge amount of attention, but the actual magistrate who seems to be the target of the film isn't too happy, and neither is his wife. It's through Nero's eyes that we're introduced to the complicated tier system of the justice side of Sicily, and lo and behold it does seems a crooked as a Curly Wurly that's been forgotten in the trousers of a child on a sunny day.

Nero's only true friend (besides the political left-wing journalists and that woman he's bumping uglies with) is mafia guy Renzo Palmer, who seems genuinely to like Nero, but then again when he gives Nero a lift to the airport, it's rather iffy that at that exact moment the actual magistrate gets the old bullet to the head in a car park. This sends the whole society of Palermo into a frenzy, as the proles think that Nero's film has influenced someone to take the law into their own hands, and everyone in the justice system starts turning on each other and blaming each other for the murder...

This takes Nero on a very long journey to find out who actually killed the judge or whatever he was, and on the way he gains new friends and burns bridges with old ones. This is a Damiano film - it all plays out just like it could in real life and if you're familiar with his films, you won't be too surprised by the ending. It's also (yet again) a kind of murder mystery, so if you're mental you could call it a giallo too.

Due to the realism, a long time passes from the first murder to when other folk start getting bumped off, so it's just as well we've got some decent acting talent to keep us going. Of course, Nero does his usual emotional, passionate routine that I never tire off, but I'm also glad to say that yet again Renzo Palmer stands out as the cocky, yet honourable, Mafia guy who is Nero guardian angel. The relationship between the two seems almost genuine. I can't be bothered looking up the name of the magistrate's wife but she was good too.

All in all, it's a slow, long film displaying very little Eurocrime clichés, but it's also a welcome break from those clichés too!

During the 70s several films related to life in Sicily and Mafia's misdoing were made, most of them starred by Franco Nero. Probably this was the best acting period for Nero. The present film is a bit different from the others, its plot is original and I found it quite interesting. Giacomo Solaris (Nero) is a film-maker very much interested in all Mafia's deals. As a result of his work he came to some conclusions and assertions with a film he made regarding a Sicilian magistrate, and from here the plot starts and you will follow it in a labyrinth of issues. The film is also interesting because it shows the differences of the people speaking Italian from the North with the Sicilian population. For example, Nero pronounces Italian well while the Sicilians have a particular accent due to the influence of their local dialect. It also reflects well the environment in Sicilian towns. May be a modest film compared to others but good to see it.

I really love Damiani movies, I think that he is the best director from Italy that deals with the Mafia and political crimes, in a very realistic approach. His movies are always an intellectual feast for the mind. Unfortently Perché Si uccide un magistrato is not the case. The movie is to say the least boring and long. The story idea is very interesting, Franco Nero plays a director whose last film foreseen the murder of a supreme judge. It is the old question of propaganda cinema, is it really effecting and makes a difference. But as the story evolves we meet so many character's and politician, that it is getting confusing at times and misses the point. Franco Nero is charming as usually but even his passionate acting could not lift this movie from his problems. I was also expecting for some Italian grim action, but I was disappointed to find non, and I mean it. I cannot recommend this movie, but I can recommend on 2 other political/Mafia movies of Damiano 1) "A confession of a police commissioner". 2) "A man on his knee". If you can put your hands on them you will be rewarded.