Ultimul Cartus (The Last Bullet) is the sequel to Cu Mainile Curate (With Clean Hands), set several months after the events in the first movie (i.e. late 1945).
This second movie marks the transformation of Roman, from the idealist rookie who tries to put bad guys behind bars, to a gritty hard-nosed cop, who finally realizes that sometimes you must find crime with its own dirty weapons. In his dogged pursuit of Semaca, he sometimes loses his cool and clear judgment, but never forgets that he is in it for his former partner.
SUMMARY (contains spoilers) —————————————
Still reeling after his partner Miclovan was killed by villainous Semaca’s men, commissary Roman is appalled to see Semaca acquitted by the Grand Jury. He vows never to rest until his friend is avenged.
Hearing a rumor that some of Semaca’s henchmen are hiding in a church disguised as monks, to avoid being called as witnesses, Roman goes undercover as a priest. It turns out that that holy place is a haven for monks whose churches were destroyed in the war. Roman discovers that the prize may be even bigger, as a former Nazi war criminal is also hiding here, waiting to be “sold” by Semaca to the Allies.
Eventually, Roman catches up with Semaca and finds himself in the same room with his partner’s murderer. Semaca takes his gun, offers a bribe and, upon Roman’s staunch refusal, tries to kill him too, not knowing that Roman has a concealed gun loaded with a single bullet – the bullet that he retrieved from the dying Miclovan’s gun. In a very electric scene (Semaca: “- I will do it as you said, commissioner. With clean hands”; Roman: “As you say, Semaca (reaching for his gun). With clean hands…” (takes out his gun, turns and shoots Semaca, with that haunting piano theme in the background))
