O Assassino da Ponte

Good made-for-TV thriller involving the murder of a visiting priest Regis Cordic on the Golden Gate Bridge that everyone but his nurse Susannah York believes is a suicide. Nun York's resolve causes the San Francisco police to assign a defiant David Janssen to investigate. Janssen and York display wonderful chemistry working together to unravel the crime which eventually allows their characters to soften and let their hair down. There's a fair amount of overacting by Janssen and his boss Tim O'Conner but York is perfect in her role. The lack of run time doesn't allow any of the supporting cast to have their characters get developed. It's a good story though and there's great suspense as the movie builds to the climax. However, the saccharine ending was over the top and spoiled the realism of the rest of the movie. Nevertheless, it's still recommended especially for fans of Janssen and York.

David Janssen overplays the grouchy bit, but it's still a wonderful and fitting sign off for one of TV's most memorable actors. (He died shortly after this film played. He was 48!)

He and the delightful Susannah York have great chemistry and this film is really all about them. Still perfectly watchable, even today.

This was David Janssen's last film, and he makes a very tired impression from the start. Susannah York on the other hand plays a young nun in an interesting condition. She is certain that father Martin couldn't have jumped the bridge by himself or committed suicide, wherefore she refuses to leave San Francisco before the matter has been cleared, by which decision she risks her Catholic future as a nun. David Janssen plays the officer in charge who most reluctantly takes on the case of trying to convince Susannah that it was suicide, but as usual the officer runs into doubts. The story is interesting, you see more of the Golden Gate than almost in any other film and almost only in the dark, as all the Golden Gate murders occur in the dark. The music by Sol Kaplan gives the film a golden frame and enhances the romantic element. It is fairly enjoyable, although in the end the intrigue appears as more constructed for the effect than credible, but it's a long way there, and you will enjoy the journey.

When a priest falls to his death from San Fransisco's Golden gate bridge, it is ruled a suicide. But nun, and close friend, Susannah York doesn't believe it. Crusty police detective David Janssen gets assigned to her, to get her off the police department's back. He can't convince her of the suicide, so they start a routine investigation. He also starts to get suspicious, and as they are digging they uncover a potential serial killer, as well as feelings they each thought incapable of.

A made-for-TV thriller that wasn't given permission to shoot on the bridge itself. So cheap studio sets were used. But it doesn't really matter, David Janssen ('Richard Diamond, Private Detective', 'The Fugitive') and Susannah York ('They Shoot Horses, Don't They?') are great and have excellent chemistry. This was one of Janssen's last movies, he died soon after this movie was released, but he's great, he basically plays an older, more worldweary version of his iconic Richard Diamond character, only this time the one-liners are more cynical and blunter. And watch out for a cameo by Dirty Harry dressed up as a cat :)

Director Walter Grauman ('The Untouchables') and DoP Jack Swain ('Cannon') were TV veterans and it shows. There's nothing spectacular about the movie's directing or looks, but it's professional and effective, and because of having to use sets for the Golden Gate bridge, they turn it into a bit of an advantage by accentuating the claustrophobic, eerie qualities of a bridge covered in fog. The climax is brief but satisfactory, however the epilogue is overly sugary. All in all tho, I was pleasantly surprised. Recommended.

I truly love this movie! I remember clearly watching it on TV in 1979 when it came out.....I was completely absorbed in it and it seemed completely believable! It is really a love story of two kind people who find joy in each other's company, even though they are an improbable pair, a nun and a gruff "cop." David Janssen and Susannah York are very real, and their story is almost a fairy tale in its simplicity. Its charm is in the dialogue. I can watch this movie repeatedly. It led me to research David Janssen. I was sorry to read that he died in 1980. The cat named "Dirty Harry" probably related to David's friendship with Clint Eastwood. Highly recommended movie for romantics.