Z

Ζ in ancient Greek means "he's alive".

I saw Z tonight, a film by Costas Gavras based on Vasilis Vasilikos best-seller book. The disclaimer at the beginning leaves no doubt about the context of the film: "Any similarity to names or places is not accidental" (*) Yes, if you think you've heard the story before, you're right, you have probably heard it, as Z describes the events that were used as a pretense from the military to overthrow the Greek government.

Important note: Although this is a movie review, it will be full of spoilers, so read with caution. Don't tell me I spoiled the film or the book for you, a google search with some Greek politicians of the 60s as keywords could spoil the movie. However if you decide to read it, you will find some details of the film that only a Greek could point out.

The film starts with a high-rank military man on a speech trying to explain to the audience the dangers that lurk in all the -ism theories, such as communism, pacifism, socialism. All the -ist people are as dangerous as white rust. We are then presented with one of the most dangerous Greek -ist people of the 60s, deputy L of the opposition. He's giving a political speech, he's supporting peace, disarmament, financing of education instead of weapons. He has trouble finding a hall, as the owners are threatened by the police. When he does find a hall, he has to face the enraged crowd of extreme-rightist. They threaten to kill him and hit him before the speech, they sing out the name of the prime minister " Karamanlis! Karamanlis!"(1). The deputy still dizzy from the hit, finishes his speech and gets out of the hall, heading towards his hotel. The crowd goes mad. Police officers are just observers to the events, among them the chief of the police. The deputy starts walking towards the chief to complain about the security, when out of nowhere a vehicle passes him by and one of the passengers hits him with a bat. The deputy falls on his knees holding his head, while the crowd give him more blows. His friends finally manage to protect him and the police starts pushing away the crowd. But it won't matter, the deputy will die. And that's when one of the worst conspiracies will come out in the daylight.

Gavras, through a thriller-like narration of the events will reveal those who were responsible for the assassination of L. An up-and-coming prosecutor with the help of a journalist and some honest witnesses, will find out how ordinary, poor people without ideals or real political views whatsoever, paid from the police and with the support of the Palace, will try to change the political scene. What is amazing in this assassination is the simplicity of the plan, or should I say stupidity. All members of the guilty part, from workers to Generals describe the events using the same words, something that almost causes laughter. Almost, because we are quickly reminded that this really did happen. Of course it has the classic elements of every conspiracy, witnesses are threatened, the prosecutor is threatened, but here there's also the element of the communist-fear, used by higher powers to disregard statements from leftist witnesses, but from the prosecutor as well to coax the guilty part to admit the connection to the Palace. Finally the truth comes out and justice is done. Or not?

Gavras's direction is superb, the film has a quick rhythm from beginning to end and consistency to the narration. Flashbacks are shown from witnesses' perspectives to give a subjective look when needed. Clues come out one by one leading the audience to the dreadful conclusion. Of course Mikis Theodorakis's music plays an important role to all these, giving the tone of the revolution, of what is about to happen. Lastly I should mention the great actors, Yves Montand , excellent in the part of the calm, pacifist deputy, Jean-Louis Trindignant, the young, honest prosecutor and Irene Pappas as the tragic deputy's wife.

Memorable scenes? When the military people arrive to the prosecutor's office, outraged for having to go through this humiliating procedure. They all start their statements by complaining only to get this phrase as an anywhere by the prosecutor: "Nom, prenom, profession". The last scene of the film, where we learn what finally happened to all who were involved in the events and the list of all the things that were banned in Greece during the military coup.

This was the second time I watched Z and I'm planning on watching it again in the future, at least once a year. It's a lesson on democracy, human rights and values. It's a political lesson valuable not only to Greeks, but to all the nations as Z could have described the events in any dictatorship. We should watch to appreciate what we have and to never forget what has happened.

(*) That's my poor translation from French, but it's actually the standard disclaimer with a twist.

(1) One of the promised bonus details. Karamanlis was at the time the prime minister, the king's favorite and the uncle of the current prime minister. Others: photographs of the monarchs hanging in the walls in the police station, though the faces aren't really shown, Greek alphabet on typewriters, a song sang by Farantouri played as background in the tavern shots, which was definitely banned by the dictators later on.

Banned list:
Long hair, mini skirts, Tolstoy, Sophocles, Mark Twain (poverty), breaking plates, Euripides, Aragon, Trotsky, strikes, syndicalism, Lurcat, archetypically, Aeschylus, Sartre, Ionesco, Pinter, Albee, beetles, references of Socrates being a homosexual, lawyers, learning Russian, learning Bulgarian, liberty of press, sociology, Beckett, Dostoevsky, Tchekov, Gorky (and all the Russians), Who's Who, modern music, popular music (Theodorakis), modern mathematics, pacifist movements and the letter Z.

Ζ σημαίνει Ζει.