The Assassin

The Assassin is an astonishing debut film by one of the undiscovered geniuses of Italian cinema, starring Marcello Mastroianni. Made in the successful -- and scandalous -- wake Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, Mastroianni gives an unforgettable performance as Alfredo Martelli, a sleazy but stylish Roman antiques dealer accused of murdering his mistress. A Kafkaesque cat-and-mouse game with the police inspector ensues, a game Martelli clearly relishes despite the stress.