Es geschah am hellichten Tag

Pop quiz! Did you know that Sean Penn's genius but shamefully underrated 2001 thriller "The Pledge" and this obscure Swiss masterpiece from 1958 are based on the same novel by Friedrich Dürrenmatt? The two films are also very reminiscent in terms of narrative structure, but the endings are completely different and that is because the novel was not yet finished when "Es Geschah am Hellichten Tag" was wrapped, and it was only afterwards that Dürrenmatt came up with the much darker and depressing ending that features in Sean Penn's adaptation. Of course you knew, since you probably also read the trivia pages here in IMDb...

Ever since I found about it, I put "Es Geschah am Hellichten Tag" on my must-see list, but sadly it's not an easy film to find. The only decent copy I eventually found was in the original German language. That wasn't a showstopper, luckily, since my native tongue is Dutch and was perfectly able to follow the film. And what a film it is! Over 65 years old, but still one of the most compelling, intense, uncomfortable, and sadly also relevant drama/thrillers that exist.

In the woods around a small Swiss town near an important route, the brutally murdered corpse of an 8-year-old girl is discovered. The drifter who found the body is immediately the prime suspect, and the police and townsfolk are certain of his guilt when he commits suicide in jail; - even though he fanatically exclaimed his innocent. Chief inspector Matthai, however, believes the real culprit is still at large and will murder again. His only leads are a drawing of a giant man dressed in black and handing out chocolates, made by the victim a few days before her death, a psychological profiling report, and a roadmap. Matthai quits the police to start his own private investigation, but for that he needs a cover, ... and live bait!

A great plot, with persuasive characters and genuine fear for the life of the vulnerable and totally innocent Anne-Marie, make this a first-class suspense classic. And the stellar performances, of course! Heinz Rühmann is excellent as the devoted Inspector Matthai, but the most remarkable role evidently remains for Gert Fröbe as the uncanny child snatcher Schrött. It was also the role that indirectly launched his international career because it led to his casting as super-villain Goldfinger in the James Bond classic with the same title.

This haunting movie based on a Fredrich Durrenmatt novel concerns a detective (an obstinate Heinz Ruhmann) becomes involved in the case of a little girl's killing . At the beginning appears as main suspect an unfortunate vagrant (incomparable Michael Simon). Then the policeman hires a gas station and takes employee a single mother (a sweet Maria Rosa Salgado) with a daughter , being his intention of utilizing them as bait for a cruel murderous . The police detective trying to trap a child killer , at the same time his mind on the woman and the little girl . Prepare Yourself For a Most Unusual and Disquieting Tale of Suspense!

This Spain/German/Switzerland co-production is a well crafted movie with plenty of suspense , thrills and psychological studio . The picture functions on various levels with superb roles nicely played by the entire casting and a well-paced screenplay that leads to the climax with the presence of the serial killer along with the kid and the possible tragedy . Friedrich Dürrenmatt wrote the script and at the same time developing the novel form on the story under the title "Das Versprechen" . He completed the book after the movie was finished and gave it a different , much darker ending . Its perfect developing resides not in displays of frenzied action and grisly violence like happens in modern cinema , but rather lies about interesting characters and suspenseful happenings . Atmospheric white and black cinematography by Heinrich Guerner and appropriate musical score with thrilling leitmotif by Bruno Cantafora . The motion picture was well written by Ladislao Vadja (together with Hans Jacoby and Friedrich Durrenmatt) and excellently directed . Vadja was author of magnificent movies , such as : 'The miracle of Marcelino' , 'Angel passed on Brooklyn' , and 'Uncle Jacinto' all of them starred by child prodigy Pablito Calvo . In my opinion ¨The Bait¨ is one of the best films to come out of Europe in the decade of the 50s . If you like thoughtful and brooding films that are exciting and rich pace with rhythm but no displaying a great deal of action , you'll like this one .

Other movies about this exciting novel are the following ones : 'The cold light of day' directed by Rudolf Van Den Berg with Richard E. Gant ; a German version (1997) directed by Nick Hoffman ; and American version 'The pledge' by Sean Penn with Jack Nicholson , Benicio Del Toro and Robin Wright Penn .

This Swiss movie, originally made for TV, was dismissed by Durrenmatt because he felt it didn't probe deeply enough into the driven character of the Inspector. I totally disagree with him. This version is powerfully realized and stunningly acted. Durrenmatt's literary version, The Pledge, undercuts the power of the theme and registers the Inspector's commitment as hollow and pointless. The American movie version of the Pledge was a conceptual, execution and box-office disaster.

What Durrenmatt does in The Pledge is to book-end this satisfying story with a narrative overlay that only revokes all the drama and suspense of the central story. This is as pointless and destructive as book-end CASABLANCA with a narrator that claims that Rick was really a scoundrel working for the Nazis the whole time.

Truth to tell, films from 1950's Germany about which one can enthuse are few and far between but this one is well directed by Ladislao Vajda, atmospherically shot by his preferred cameraman Heinrich Gartner and depite its slow pace, is thoroughly engrossing.

One of his country's perennially popular actors, Heinz Ruemann stars as a detective who promises the mother of a brutally murdered girl that he will find the killer. Although he is officially off the case he proceeds to fulfil his vow by means of application, perspiration, inspiration and of course, a little bit of luck. Herr Ruemann's post-war career continued unabated despite his perceived chumminess with Hitler's regime. He is an extremely engaging artiste with whom one cannot fail to connect and here he gives his customarily immaculate and understated performance.

Gert Froebe turns in a truly terrifying portrayal of the murderer Schrott which by all accounts led to his eventual casting as Auric Goldfinger and special mention must be made of Michel Simon's stupendous performance as the unfortunate Jacquier. One would have fully expected him to be dubbed but this superlative actor has learnt his lines phonetically and delivers them with the utmost conviction.

Swiss writer Friedrich Duerrenmatt professed to being unhappy with the script, feeling that it did not go far enough and required a more realistic ending. He refined and expanded the theme in the form of a novel entitled 'The Pledge', in which the detective's obsession leads to alcoholism and insanity. This version was made in 2001 by Sean Penn with an impressive central performance by Jack Nicholson. In true Hollywoodland fashion both the film and its star were overlooked as the film failed to make any money.

The later film has thus far garnered no less than 624 reviews whereas the original has achieved the grand total of ...21. The present eye praises the present object it seems plus the inescapable fact that the demographic of IMDb is mainly American.

The story of the perverted child murderer SCHROTT (Fröbe) and his hunter MATTHAEI (Rühmann) is still thrilling and frightening. The present events ensure that the story remains current. Fröbe and Rühmann can show their acting skills (what they were not always allowed to do).

To keep it short:

Ingenious actors in a great film, which is based on a great book, that was written by an ingenious author.

I'm waiting for the Hollywood-remake.