The Inquisitor

1981 1h 24m FR

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 292

CrimeDramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Martinaud, an illustrious notary suspected of being the perpetrator of two horrendous crimes, voluntarily agrees to be questioned by Inspector Gallien on New Year's Eve. What initially is a routine procedure, soon becomes a harsh interrogation that seems to confirm the initial suspicions.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

France Channel Amazon ChannelSubscription

Cast

Lino Ventura
Inspector Antoine Gallien
Michel Serrault
Jérôme Martinaud
Romy Schneider
Chantal Martinaud
Guy Marchand
Inspector Marcel Belmont
Pierre Maguelon
Inspector Adami
Serge Malik
Mechanic
Jean-Claude Penchenat
Divisional Commissioner
Yves Pignot
Policeman in Raincoat

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Claude Miller
Writers: Claude Miller, Jean Herman
Languages: French
Countries: France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

84 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

45 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Claude Miller, shot by Bruno Nuytten. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Georges Delerue. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Albert Jurgenson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Lino Ventura and Michel Serrault and Romy Schneider carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0082436 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Claude Miller directs. Bruno Nuytten behind the camera. Georges Delerue scores. Albert Jurgenson cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

184 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
245 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Claude Miller, shot by Bruno Nuytten. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Georges Delerue. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Albert Jurgenson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Lino Ventura and Michel Serrault and Romy Schneider carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0082436 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 12 themes, including "new year's eve", "husband wife relationship", "france", "based on novel or book".