Simple Formality, A

A pistol-muzzle and a shot. A murder is committed. When the police arrive at the scene of the crime, a muddy and virtually insane man, Gerard Depardieu, is found wandering nearby.

An inspector, Roman Polanski, spends the entire night using the carrot/stick technique to make the suspect confess. However, the man claims he knows nothing of the murder. He claims to be Onoff, a famous writer currently suffering from writer's block, and he does not remember where he spent the day.

The inspector finds it hard to believe that the bum in front of him is the famous Onoff, whose work he greatly admires. It turns out the man speaks the truth and their attitudes towards each other change. Even so, however famous Onoff may be, he is still accused of murder. The later at night it becomes, the more anxious the inspector is to solve the case.

Orig. titel
PURA FORMALITA, UNA: Medverkande
Gérard Depardieu, Roman Polanski, Sergio Rubini: Manus
Giuseppe Tornatore: Foto
Blasco Giurato: Musik
Ennio Morricone: Talat språk
French