Watch Dillinger Is Dead
- NR
- 1969
- 1 hr 35 min
-
6.9 (2,817)
Dillinger Is Dead is a 1969 Italian crime thriller film, directed by Marco Ferreri and starring Michel Piccoli, Anita Pallenberg, and Gino Lavagetto. The film tells the story of Glauco, a bored and apathetic industrial designer who spends his days working on his latest project and avoiding his nagging wife. One evening, Glauco comes home to his Rome apartment to find his wife and maid have gone out leaving him alone with nothing to do. He rummages through his belongings, finds an old revolver in the drawer and begins exploring its possibilities.
As he digs further into his drawers, he discovers a number of unusual items including a gas mask, some drugs and an old 8mm film. The film shows a re-enactment of the death of the notorious American gangster John Dillinger, who was shot dead by the FBI in 1934. This film prompts Glauco to re-enact part of Dillinger's life, staging a series of bizarre fantasies, which take him to the brink of insanity.
Throughout the film, Glauco's fantasies become increasingly surreal and dark as he becomes more and more engrossed in his role as Dillinger. He begins to see his wife - who returns later in the night - in a different light and begins to experiment with the drugs and mask he has found. As his fantasies become more vivid, his grip on reality becomes increasingly tenuous.
Michel Piccoli delivers an excellent performance as Glauco, portraying him as a man who is both enigmatic and deeply troubled. His detachment from the world around him leads him to explore the depths of his imagination, although this ultimately ends up bringing him more confusion and despair.
Anita Pallenberg appears in a more minor role as his bored and demanding wife Anita, who spends her days criticizing and belittling Glauco's work. She is the perfect foil to his cool detachment, and the scenes between the two are some of the film's most memorable.
Gino Lavagetto, who plays Glauco's colleague in the film, is a common thread throughout the story. His unexpected appearance in the narrative and his willingness to indulge in the same kind of surrealism as Glauco makes him a fascinating character to watch.
The film is also notable for its rich visual style, which draws on a range of influences from pop-art to surrealism. Ferreri's use of color, composition and sound creates a dream-like atmosphere that adds to the film's otherworldly quality.
Overall, Dillinger Is Dead is a haunting and thought-provoking film that explores the limits of the human imagination. It's a film that rewards careful viewing and analysis, and one that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled. If you're a fan of classic Italian cinema or looking for a challenging and unconventional film that explores the darker side of the human psyche, Dillinger Is Dead is definitely worth checking out.