The Assassination

The Assassination

Year: 1972

Runtime: 123 mins

Language: French

Director: Yves Boisset

ThrillerHistory

Darien, a left‑wing police informant, is ordered to lure his old friend Sadiel to Paris to film a television special on the Third World. Sadiel, the exiled leader of a North African state, is being pursued by ruthless Colonel Kassar. When Sadiel arrives, Darien discovers he has been used and tries to reverse the situation, unaware of forces at play.

The Assassination (1972) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Assassination (1972) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a world where diplomatic façades mask simmering rivalries, the film unfolds across the sleek corridors of Parisian media and the shadowed back‑rooms of international intelligence. The era’s uneasy balance between revolutionary idealism and covert statecraft creates a palpable tension, turning every televised interview and whispered phone call into a potential flashpoint. The city itself feels both a stage for grand political theater and a maze of unseen agendas, setting a tone that is simultaneously sophisticated, claustrophobic, and laced with unease.

Darien is a former militant journalist turned police informant, whose past activism still haunts his conscience. Pressed by French intelligence to harness his old connection, he is tasked with escorting an exiled figure to a televised special about the Third World. Though he approaches the job with the cynical pragmatism of a man accustomed to manipulation, the assignment also offers a rare chance to reclaim some personal agency. His relationship with his partner, Edith, and his lingering doubts about the moral cost of his cooperation lend the narrative a deeply personal undercurrent amid the larger geopolitical chess game.

Sadiel is the charismatic leader of a North‑African opposition movement, now living in exile and dreaming of a democratic future for his homeland. His arrival in Paris is meant to be a symbolic moment, amplified by the promise of a television audience. Yet the presence of Colonel Kassar, a ruthless pursuer backed by powerful interests, casts a long shadow over the proceedings. As the two old friends reunite under the bright lights of a media production, the film hints that forces beyond their control are already stirring, inviting viewers to wonder how far the line between propaganda and truth can be pushed before everything unravels.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 23:03

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Paranoid political thrillers like The Assassination

Stories where conspiracy and surveillance erode trust and reality itself.If you liked the web of espionage and deception in The Assassination, explore more movies like it. This collection features tense, complex thrillers about political conspiracy, moral compromise, and the crushing weight of surveillance states, perfect for fans of cynical, high-stakes narratives.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives typically center on an individual, often an informant or journalist, who becomes ensnared in a vast conspiracy beyond their control. The plot unfolds through a series of betrayals and revelations, methodically stripping away the protagonist's sense of security and agency, often leading to a fatalistic conclusion where the powerful system prevails.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared atmosphere of pervasive distrust and their focus on the psychological toll of navigating a corrupt political landscape. They share a tense tone, complex plotting, and a bleak outlook on power and information.

Movies about bleak betrayal like The Assassination

Journeys where personal loyalties are weaponized, leading to devastating consequences.For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional weight of betrayal in The Assassination, this list curates similar films exploring moral collapse and the devastating impact of treachery. Discover stories where friendship is exploited, leading to tense, psychologically taxing narratives with bleak outcomes.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character being manipulated into betraying someone close to them, only to realize too late that they are a disposable asset. The story arc is one of escalating disillusionment and powerlessness, culminating in a conclusion that offers no redemption, only the bleak finality of the protagonist's defeat or destruction.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their exploration of betrayal as a central theme, their heavy emotional weight, and their consistently bleak endings. They prioritize psychological realism and the tragic fallout of moral compromise over action or hope.

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The Assassination Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Assassination

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Assassination

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