"He is alive!"
Z - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Any resemblance to real events, to persons living or dead, is not accidental. It is INTENTIONAL.
— Opening Title Card
Context:
The very first text that appears on screen before the action begins.
Meaning:
This is the film's manifesto. It breaks the "fourth wall" of fiction immediately, telling the audience that they are about to witness a true history of political crime.
Nom, prénom, profession.
— The Magistrate
Context:
Spoken repeatedly by Trintignant as he indicts high-ranking officials one by one in his office.
Meaning:
Translates to "Name, first name, profession." The repetition of this bureaucratic phrase becomes a weapon. It reduces the powerful generals to common criminals, subjecting them to the same law as the thugs they hired.
Ideally, it should be like a biological auto-defense... antibodies... to chase away the mildew of the mind.
— The General
Context:
From the General's speech to government officials at the beginning of the film.
Meaning:
Reveals the fascist philosophy of the regime: dissent is a disease, and the military are the white blood cells. It dehumanizes the opposition to justify their elimination.
Always blame the Americans. Even if you're wrong!
— The Colonel
Context:
Spoken during the panic of the cover-up as they try to control the narrative.
Meaning:
A cynical admission of how the regime uses anti-American sentiment (or conversely, reliance on them) to manipulate public perception, or perhaps a deflection of their own responsibility.
Z
— The Crowd / Closing Title
Context:
Chanted by the crowds and appearing as the final image of the film.
Meaning:
"He Lives." The ultimate refusal to accept the erasure of the leader.