A Pure Formality
Encyclopedia
A Pure Formality is a 1994 thriller film directed and written by Giuseppe Tornatore
. It stars Gérard Depardieu
as a reclusive writer and Roman Polanski
as a police detective.
. As the head of an isolated, rural police station the Inspector tries to establish events through careful interrogation and deduction. By painstaking inquiry, he clears up a mysterious killing and brings the writer a new and strange realisation.
. It also received a David di Donatello
for Best Production Design (Andrea Crisanti
).
Several films are inspired by A Pure Formality's idea (1994) of the mystery of the living versus the dead. The best example is The Sixth Sense (1999) from M. Night Shyamalan, another is The Others (2001) from Alejandro Amenábar.
Giuseppe Tornatore
-Life and career:Born in Bagheria near Palermo, Tornatore developed an interest in acting and the theatre from at least the age of 16 and put on works by Luigi Pirandello and Eduardo De Filippo.He worked initially as a freelance photographer...
. It stars Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
as a reclusive writer and Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
as a police detective.
Plot summary
Depardieu's character is Onoff, a famous writer who is now a recluse. The Inspector (Polanski) is suspicious when Onoff is brought into the station one night, disoriented and suffering a kind of amnesiaAmnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
. As the head of an isolated, rural police station the Inspector tries to establish events through careful interrogation and deduction. By painstaking inquiry, he clears up a mysterious killing and brings the writer a new and strange realisation.
Cast
- Gérard DepardieuGérard DepardieuGérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
- Onoff - Roman PolanskiRoman PolanskiRoman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
- Inspector - Sergio RubiniSergio Rubini- Biography :He was born in Grumo Appula but soon moved to Rome to study acting. After some roles in theater, he debuted in a feature film with Figlio mio infinitamente caro , which was followed by Desiderando Giulia and Il caso Moro...
- Andre, the Young Policeman - Nicola Di Pinto - Captain
- Tano CimarosaTano CimarosaTano Cimarosa was an Italian actor, screenwriter and film director from Sicily. He participated in more than fifty movies.He played the "Blacksmith" in the Oscar-winning film Cinema Paradiso from 1988....
- Servant - Paolo Lombardi - Marshall
- Maria Rosa Spagnolo - Paula
- Alberto Sironi
- Giovanni Morricone
- Mahdi Kraiem
- Massimo Vanni
- Sebastiano Filocamo
Reception
A Pure Formality was nominated for a Golden Palm at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival1994 Cannes Film Festival
The 1994 Cannes Film Festival started on 12 May and ran until 23 May. The Palme d'Or went to the American film Pulp Fiction directed by Quentin Tarantino.-Official Selection:*Clint Eastwood *Catherine Deneuve...
. It also received a David di Donatello
David di Donatello
David di Donatello, named after Donatello's David, is a movie award assigned each year for cinematic performances and production by Ente David di Donatello, part of Accademia del Cinema Italiano. It is the Italian equivalent to the Academy Award. There are 24 categories as of 2006.- History :The...
for Best Production Design (Andrea Crisanti
Andrea Crisanti
Andrea Crisanti is an Italian production designer and art director.Crisanti studied Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. He began his film career as assistant set designer to Mario Garbuglia by working on the set of The Great War with Mario Monicelli. Then he worked with other set designers...
).
Several films are inspired by A Pure Formality's idea (1994) of the mystery of the living versus the dead. The best example is The Sixth Sense (1999) from M. Night Shyamalan, another is The Others (2001) from Alejandro Amenábar.