Gian Maria Volontè kills his mistress Florinda Bolkan and deliberately leaves clues pointing to himself as the murderer. He's a policeman ... the head of the homicide squad in fact, although he's just been appointed to a new job, leading the division that investigates political radicals.
We essentially follow two plot lines. The investigation of Balkan's murder proceeds, and any time the investigators seem to be veering towards other suspects, Volontè leaves clues pointing back to himself. We also chart the course of his sado-masochistic relationship with Bolkan, and how the gradual shift in power dynamics back to her lead to his desire to kill her.
This is a pretty dazzling film with two magnificent lead performances. It poses as a crime film, but is really a character study of the fascist mindset. It's kind of bogged down by some fairly outdated psychoanalytic ideas, but that's not really the film's fault.
We essentially follow two plot lines. The investigation of Balkan's murder proceeds, and any time the investigators seem to be veering towards other suspects, Volontè leaves clues pointing back to himself. We also chart the course of his sado-masochistic relationship with Bolkan, and how the gradual shift in power dynamics back to her lead to his desire to kill her.
This is a pretty dazzling film with two magnificent lead performances. It poses as a crime film, but is really a character study of the fascist mindset. It's kind of bogged down by some fairly outdated psychoanalytic ideas, but that's not really the film's fault.