This powerful great film is based on a novel by Leonardo Sciascia whose writings often had a political slant
to them where the police, politicians, the church and the mafia were in cohorts with each other.

In the 1970's Italian filmmakers dealt with this theme in a series of fine and openly
political films and often based on the writings of Leonardo Sciascia. Films as:

Damiano Damiani's 1968 "Il giorno della Civetta (The Day of the Owl" or his 1975
"Perché si uccide un Magistrato (How to Kill a Judge)" , Elio Petri's "A ciascuno il suo
(We Still Kill the Old Way)" or Fransesco Rosi's 1976 "Cadaveri eccellenti (Illustrious
Corpses" Read more about these films on my Cult & Classics and Gialli & Eurocrime
pages).

This was a powerful political crime thriller and directed by the great Francesco Rosi in a time when there were
social unrest on the Italian streets and with leftist activists and communists fighting the Italian regime.
In the long and fascinating intro in a Catacomb and/or Crypt we get to see the assassination of an old Judge
and police inspector Rogas (Lino Ventura) is the man who investigates the case. What could be the reason to
kill an old judge, did he fight the Mafia or was he a part of the Mafia ?

Then another judge is shot in the same way as the first was, probably by a rifle with a scope. Then yet another
judge is killed. Who's killing the judges ? Inspector Rogas is a decent and straight cop and he sleuths around
and as the three judges who were killed worked and lived in towns situated close to each other Rogas thinks
that the killer may be a local and someone who has been unjustly sentenced in court.
But his investigation results doesn't please his superiors, the chief of police (Tino Carraro) or the Minister
(Fernando Rey) who wants the crimes to be of a political nature so they can blame it on the leftists.

This film was dark and maybe even Feel Bad dark and with a fantastic performance from Lino Ventura who finds
himself drawn into something dark and evil. Soundtrack by Piero Piccioni.
Film presented in widescreen 1.85:1 with italian audio DTS-HD MA and with english subtitles, Extras an audio
commentary by filmmaker Alex Cox, and a Trailer. Blu-ray in region A