I went to the Rex hoping to see La Samourai, a classic French film from 1967 starring Alain Delon as a hit man in trouble. But despite three attempts, we never got past the opening credits. Instead we were shown this other French movie The Goldman Case that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year. This is the real life trial of Pierre Goldman adapted for dramatic licence. It was in fact a re-trial in April 1976 for this strident left wing Jewish revolutionary. He had already admitted to a number of robberies but had constantly denied the one where two people were shot and killed.
The drama virtually all takes place in the courtroom, a set apparently created on a tennis court with a cover to give the best natural light. So a lot about race and about untrustworthy police. The witnesses we see being examined were only first found days after the offence. I was amazed that there was not any physical evidence, no firearm. The portrait of the different lawyers was excellent, his long suffering legal team have to put up with the defendant's outbursts. Goldman is volatile and angry and will not even name someone who might just clear him. Some of the witnesses are amazing. Have the police set them up? Are they trustworthy or even racist? The key detective sounds convincing until he finally lets himself down.
But the best of all is Goldman's father. A true gentleman. Intelligent and strong. In the end the friend who could have given him an alibi explains why he didn't. His time in custody made him frightened he would be arrested. The police had put too much pressure on him. This time he clears Goldman. The presiding judge is marvellously impartial. And he has to deal with the uproar from the defendant's supporters, cheering loudly in unison.
The film gets a full page in this month's Sight and Sound. The review by Ginette Vincendeau gives us a lot of background to the case but less on the actual movie. "No flashbacks.....a downbeat presentation.....controversial in France".
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