The Master Sergeant

Hojjat kills a depraved man and his own wife, then heads south. With the help of a man named Rahman, he plans to cross the water border by boat at night, but the authorities pursue him. Hojjat escapes into the darkness of the night. Rahman kills the boatman—who is being taken to the station for interrogation by a sergeant—as well as the sergeant himself. Sergeant Mokhtar, the successor of the murdered sergeant and Hojjat’s uncle, persuades Hojjat not to cross the border. Hojjat then arranges to marry Maryam, the sergeant’s daughter...

Directed by Saeed Motalebi, The Master Sergeant leans on a strong ensemble — Naser Malek Motiee, Manoochehr Vossoogh, Amin Amini — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1972.