Under Suspicion (1981, France)

Original title: Garde à vue

family secrets police investigation psychological thriller serial killer

Running time: 85 minutes

Language: French

Jerome Martinaud, a wealthy, influential lawyer is suspect in a child murder case - he was present near the first crime scene and he found the body of the second victim. The police inspector Gallien asks him to come down to the station and answer some more questions. Martinaud is reluctant, especially since it is New Year’s Eve, but he begins to answer the same question once again, tell the policemen what he remembers as he did several times before. But this time is slightly different - soon the polite conversation changes into thorough interrogation and with each minute Martinaud is losing the ground. Gallien begins to dive deeper and deeper into personal life of his suspect and drags out things Martinaud is not comfortable to talk about. Why the lawyer and his beautiful wife sleep in separate bedrooms? What happened between them to create the distance? Why is he reluctant to talk about his life?

Movie based on the John Wainwright novel "Brainwash" (just like later American version, starring Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman) and is tensed character-based drama between investigators and their prime suspect, a seemingly innocent witness. Contrary to American version, this one was kept in much more claustrophobic style of a single room and has the more powerful ending (closer to the original text).

Do you have what it takes to solve a case like this?

TRY IT YOURSELF ❱