History,Crime,Drama
France
The Judge and the Assassin, also known as Le Juge et l'Assassin, is a French film released in 1976 and directed by Bertrand Tavernier. The movie is based on the true story of Joseph Vacher, a serial killer who terrorized France in the late 19th century.
The film starts with Joseph Bouvier (played by Philippe Noiret), a former soldier, attempting to shoot his love interest Marie from a distance. He fails to kill her and then shoots himself in the head. However, he survives, and soon after, he is admitted to an asylum where he stays for several years.
Once released, Bouvier wanders around the countryside, preying on young girls whom he rapes and kills. The local police are unable to catch him, and he goes on a killing spree for five years before being captured by Judge Rousseau (played by Michel Galabru), who wants to prove himself as a great jurist.
As the trial progresses, Rousseau becomes increasingly obsessed with the idea of proving Bouvier's sanity and punishing him as a fully responsible killer. Meanwhile, Bouvier's defense team tries to establish an insanity defense and prove that he is not fully responsible for his actions.
The film is a gripping drama that portrays the psychological turmoil and moral ambiguity surrounding a notorious killer and the judicial system that tries him. It raises uncomfortable questions about how we perceive and judge criminals and calls into question the ethics of capital punishment.
