The blind eye of the police

Though he's on his honeymoon, Mexican-born detective Mike Vargas (Charlton Heston) takes it upon himself to investigate a bomb explosion at the U.S.-Mexico border. In doing so, he clashes with corrupt local police inspector Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles). In trying to put an end to Vargas, Quinlan makes a deal with gangster boss Joe Grandi to drug Vargas' wife (Janet Leigh) so that she can be arrested for drug use.

'The Blind Eye of the Police' lives on by virtue of its form-perfect imagery, its intense close-ups, meticulously composed scenes and expressionistic lighting. Famous is the opening scene, recorded in one long camera movement. Orson Welles is masterful in the impersonating role of arrogant power man Hank Quinlan.

We show the film in the restored Director's Cut edition from 1998 at 111 min. The film was cut in this edition by Walter Murch according to Orson Welles' own notes from 1957.

Directed by: Orson Welles
Starring: Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Marlene Dietrich
Country/year: United States, 1958
Running time: 111 min.
Formato: DCP
Language: Danish subtitles
Age limit: Allowed for children over 15
Original title: Touch of Evil

Part of the series: Classics
From Orson Welles and F.W. Murnau to Samira Makhmalbaf, Andrzej Zulawski and Guillermo del Toro: Cinemateket presents a handful of film classics that deserve the big screen.