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Last Known Address
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Wikipedia article
'Last Known Address' is a 1970 French-Italian film directed by Jos Giovanni. This movie is based on the eponymous novel 'The Last Known Address' by Joseph Harrington.
Its theme tune, composed by Franois de Roubaix, has subsequently been sampled in several songs, such as "All n My Grill" by Missy Elliott and "Supreme" by Robbie Williams.
Plot
Marceau Lonetti (Lino Ventura), a competent and energetic officer stops by chance the son of an influential lawyer driving under the influence of alcohol. A few months later, the lawyer falsely accuses Lonetti as being violent and incompetent. As a result, Marceau is transferred to a small police station, where the height of his investigative exploits is recovering a young boys stolen pigeons.
Contacted by an old colleague of his, who is now head of a special crime unit, Lonetti is enlisted into the unit. There he meets young and beautiful police officer Jeanne (Marlne Jobert), and the pair are tasked with catching perverts who sexually harass young women in cinemas, in a sting operation with Jeanne acting as bait.
Lonetti is given another assignment, to locate and arrest Roger Martin (Philippe March), the only witness to a crime, who can testify at the murder trial of a master criminal Soramon (Guy Hron). The prosecution's only other witness has died of a serious illness. Without his testimony, Soramon will go free, but no-one knows where Martin is. The police only have an old address for him, Cit de la Glacire. Lonetti and Jeanne try to find him by locating his old furniture, which he sold when he moved.
In the process of their investigations, the pair discover Martin may have a young daughter, and that she took medication in the form of blue pills, a clue which may lead them to Martin. Meanwhile criminal associates of Soramon are tailing Lonetti and Jeanne, in the hope that they will discover Martin's whereabouts. The existence of a daughter is confirmed by Martin's former neighbour.
After questioning residents of the area and many leads which go nowhere, Lonetti thinks that he could examine the records of pharmacies in the area to find the daughter's pill prescription. After a long search, on the first day of Soramon's trial, they finally find the record, which leads them to Martin's doctor.
Leaving the pharmacy with the address, Lonetti and Jeanne split up, but Lonetti is attacked by the gang, he fights them off but is badly beaten and left in the street. The gang steal what they believe to be the note with the doctor's address on, but Lonetti has outsmarted them and given the address to Jeanne. Jeanne nurses Lonetti back to health after his ordeal.
At the doctors, they are frustrated to learn that he only has Martin's old address on record. However the doctor informs them that Martin and his daughter have an appointment at his surgery that day. Lonetti apprehends Martin leaving the surgery. Martin and his daughter are taken to a hotel under police protection, and he testifies at the trial the next day. However, after he has given his evidence, the police leave him alone and unguarded, and he is assassinated in the park by one of Saramon's gang, in view of his daughter.
Jeanne tells Lonetti she is completely disillusioned with police work, for them allowing the death of Martin to happen, and doesn't think getting Soramon's conviction was worth it. When he responds bluntly to her outburst, Jeanne coldly says goodbye to Lonetti and drives away. The film ends with the quotation "...for life is a wasted blessing/ when we have not lived it/as we would have liked - Mihai Eminescu".
Cast
* Lino Ventura: Inspector Marceau Leonetti
* Marlne Jobert: Jeanne Dumas
* Philippe March: Roger Martin
* Michel Constantin: Greg
* Alain Mottet: Frank Lambert
* Batrice Arnac: Silvia
* Gilette Barbier: lpicire
* Luc Bartholom: Jo Raison
* Paul Crauchet: Jacques Loring
* Monique Mlinand: Mme Loring
* Albert Dagnant: Arnold
* Germaine Delbat: Mme Lenoir
* Roger Desmare: The grocer
* Max Desrau: Thouin
* Robert Favart: The Principal
* Guy Hron: Soramon
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