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Like most of Costa-Gavras' political thrillers, the French State of Siege is based on a true story. The incident dramatized herein is the kidnapping of a U.S. official somewhere in Latin America. The director's sympathies clearly lie with the kidnappers, especially since the official (played by Yves Montand), ostensibly an expert in traffic control, has been assigned as special advisor to the government's secret police, training these worthies in the art of the torturing of political prisoners. Uruguay was the country where this story actually took place; though no names are given, there's little doubting the identity of Costa-Gavras' fictional locale. Despite its up-to-date radicalism, State of Siege adheres to time-honored Hollywood formula, with ugly, vulgar bad guys vs. handsome, articulate good guys.

Genres: Drama, Thriller

Starring: Yves Montand, Renato Salvatori, O.E. Hasse

Released: December 30, 1972

Runtime: 122.0

Popularity Rating: 1.853

Dieter Geissler Filmproduktion, Euro-International Film, Reggane Films, Unidis

France, Germany, Italy

Philip Michael Santore Yves Montand
Captain Lopez Renato Salvatori
Carlos Ducas O.E. Hasse
Hugo Jacques Weber
Este Jean-Luc Bideau
Minister of Internal Security Maurice Teynac
Woman Senator Yvette Etievant
Mrs. Santore Evangeline Peterson
Minister of Foreign Affairs Harald Wolff
President of the Republic Nemesio Antunez

Art — Production Design: Jacques D'Ovidio
Camera — Director of Photography: Pierre-William Glenn
Directing — Director: Costa-Gavras
Editing — Editor: Francoise Bonnot
Production — Executive Producer: Jacques Henri Barratier
Production — Executive Producer: Leon Sanz
Sound — Original Music Composer: Mikis Theodorakis
Writing — Scenario Writer: Costa-Gavras
Writing — Scenario Writer: Franco Solinas
Writing — Writer: Franco Solinas