A political drama set in the fictional country of Illyria between 1943 and 1945, the story is about the assassination of a leading politician. The country, an ally of Nazi Germany, is on the verge of being annexed to the Eastern Bloc. Kaurismäki's TV adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre's play Les Mains Sales (Dirty Hands) tells the story of Hugo (Matti Pellonpää) who has just been released from prison. Before going to prison, he has worked as a journalist at his party's newspaper. This timid journalist, who uses the pseudonym Raskolnikov, wants to advance in his career and gets his chance when Hoederer (Sulevi Peltola), the leader of the party, has to be eliminated.
Sulevi Peltola
as Hoederer
Matti Pellonpää
as Hugo Barine
Kati Outinen
as Jessica Barine
Kaija Pakarinen
as Olga
Pertti Sveholm
as Louis
Kari Väänänen
as Ivan
Pirkka-Pekka Petelius
as Slick
Aake Kalliala
as Georges
Esko Nikkari
as Karsky
Hannu Lauri
as Ruhtinas
Hannu Viholainen
as Charles
Asmo Hurula
as Frantz
