Synopsis
Foreword: „The cyanide… and the raindrop” is a Romanian crime thriller directed by Manole Marcus, built around a tense investigation and an atmosphere filled with mystery. The film explores the fragility of human relationships, guilt, and deception, in a story where every character seems to hide a secret. Through its strong performances and the restrained visual style characteristic of 1970s Romanian cinema, the film remains a notable example of Romanian detective filmmaking of the era.
Directed by: Manole Marcus
Script by: Manole Marcus, Virgil Mogoș
Cast: Victor Rebengiuc, Maria Chira, Mihai Dobre, Dem Niculescu, Doina Atanasiu, Ion Besoiu, Marin Moraru, Eugen Racoti, Gheorghe Simonca, Iurie Darie, Aurel Giurumia, Ștefan Bănică, Ottilia Borbáth, Olimpia Arghir, Dumitru Palade
Producer: Lucian Dante Gologan (directorul filmului), Marcel Păruș (producător delegat)
Cinematography by: Dan Niculescu
Edited by: Margareta Anescu
Sound: Bujor Surdu
Music: George Grigoriu
Decorations: Aureliu Ionescu
Costumes: Nelly Grigoriu-Merola
Makeup: Eva Vaida
Year: 1978
Category: Feature film
Genre: Detective/Crime
Duration: 99 minutes
PLOT SUMMARY
The death of an unassuming cashier turns out to be caused by poisoning with cyanide and the detective investigation reveals a crime.
CRITICAL REVIEWS:
” Nothing seems to escape the investigators and the clever major Luca (Victor Rebengiuc) solves the puzzle with calm and gumption in a period of time in which all the world knew that the real inquieries were based mostly on physical violence. As a concluzion, ” The cyanide and … the raindrop ” is a typical productionthe for propaganda developed at the request of the General Inspectorate of Militia (Police Departement) to show to the potential felons that the investigators always keep en eye on them and can discover everything .” Cinemagia (Cezarika21)
TRIVIA:
- The film is inspired from a real case, which a friend of the director, a lawyer, reported to him.
QUOTES:
• I could tell at a glance that he was dead.”
• “If a head nurse who’s been in the ER for six years doesn’t know what a body poisoned with cyanide looks like, she might as well quit.”
• “Life has been pretty rough on me; it hasn’t given me a moment’s peace to have fun.”
• “If they didn’t kill him, and he didn’t kill himself, that means he’s alive.”
• “No one’s leaving! Today’s my birthday. I want to have fun!”
ARTICLES:
- Cyanide … and the raindrop – cinemagia.ro
This premiere is part of a national archive project supported by the Romanian National Film Centre.
Special thanks goes to the Romanian Filmmakers Union and to the Romanian Film Archive.
