Z

From August 14-16, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston screened a beautifully restored 35mm print of Z in the Brown Auditorium to sell-out crowds as part of their ongoing Revival Series. Constantin Costa-Gavras’ 40-year-old procedural about an investigating judge (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who exposes the cover-up of a pacifist leader’s (Yves Montand) murder is touring in advance of a Criterion Collection DVD release this fall (October 27).

Upon its initial release in 1969, the film’s blunt indictment of the Greek junta caused a reaction almost unimaginable in today’s over stimulated media environment. Coming only six years after the murder of Gregorios Lambrakis, it’s difficult to believe that a message movie with such a clear point of view could ever have been financed and distributed by a studio, and it probably couldn’t be done in the U.S. today at all. It’s just that inflammatory. It is so unsubtle as to leave audiences fearful for its maker, and yet Costa-Gavras is deft enough to retain a warmth and humor rarely, if ever, achieved in today’s action genre. The title Z means “He Lives” in Greek, and became a rallying cry for a generation of anti-fascist activists.

Running Time 127 minutes; Rated PG. French with English subtitles. Starring Yves Montand as The Deputy, Irene Papas as Helene, the Deputy’s wife, Jean-Louis Trintignant as The Examining Magistrate, Jacques Perrin as The Photojournalist, Charles Denner as Manuel, Francois Perier as Public Prosecutor, Pierre Dux as The General, Georges Geret as Nick, Julien Guiomar as The Colonel, Marcel Bozzuffi as Vago, and Renato Salvatori as Yago. Directed by Constantin Costa-Gavras. Produced by Jacques Perrin and Hamed Rachedi. Screenplay by Costa-Gavras and Jorge Semprun, based on the novel Z by Vassilis Vassilikos. Music by Mikis Theodorakis. Cinematography by Raoul Coutard.