The Pledge (2001) - Michael Hirst

May 20, 1990

THE PLEDGE

Screenplay by Michael Hirst, adapted from the story by Friedrich Durrenmatt

Synopsis by Brian Aldrich

There is a serial killer who has killed two young female children with a razor. The third victim is found in the woods by a salesman named GUNTEN. Veteran Zurich police detective MATTHAI, accompanied by his young associate detective HENZI, go to the scene and find the bloody body of GRITLI MOSER. Matthai has to go tell the parents. The mother demands that Matthai promise to find the killer. Although it is Matthai's last day on the job, he is overwhelmed with emotion and makes the pledge.

A mob is about to lynch Gunten who has a record of child molesting, but Matthai stops them, promising to give Gunten over to them if they can prove his guilt. They cannot. Matthai is given a goodbye party and is about to take off for his new job in Jordan when the ghost of Gritli visits him and he remembers his promise. Matthai gives up his new career and stays in Zurich to find the killer. Meanwhile, Henzi arrests Gunten and forces a confession out of him. Gunten hangs himself in his cell. Matthai is refused his old job and any cooperation with the Zurich police. He finds out that Gritli had been seeing a man who gave her chocolates and finds a picture she drew of his and his American-looking car. Matthai figures out that the killer drove a certain route to all the killings. He buys a gas station along that route. He reforms a hooker named HELLER and has her live with him as his housekeeper with her little daughter ANNEMARIE. In reality, he is using the little girl as bait for the killer. Heller doesn't know this.

Many stop by for gas including criminals Matthai had arrested in his former career. Matthai and Heller become romantically involved. Then, Annemarie tells Matthai that she has a friend she meets who gives her chocolates. Matthai convinces his old cop friends to have a stakeout, but the killer never shows. Heller finds out that Matthai had been using her and she leaves him. A while later the police come across a fatal auto accident. The owner of the crashed Cadillac is dead. They investigate and find out that the victim was the serial killer. Matthai was right. Matthai goes to inform the parents of Gritli and fulfill his promise--his pledge.

Summary Criticism: This is an intriguing script written in a sparse and riveting style.

The Pledge (2001) - imdb

The Pledge (2001) - wiki