PLAGUES OF BRESLAU

Poland, 2018, 93 minutes, Colour.

Malgorzata Kozuchowska, Daria Wizawska.

Directed by Patryk Vega.

A Polish drama, a police investigation, quite tough in its presentation of the crimes as well as the investigation itself. At the centre is an experienced policewoman, brought up on a farm, able to recognise clues given at the time of the murders, her single-mindedness in her work. Later, there will be another investigator, also tough, who is a profiler.

The screenplay explains an event in the history of the city of Breslay (which is filmed beautifully, many vistas of the city itself, within the city itself, making it look an attractive tourist destination).

In the previous century, a ruler to consolidate his rule, executes a number of criminals, one a day, over a week, for significant crimes against society. In the present scenario, killings begin, noted that they take place at 6 PM in the evening, echo the historical precedent. Each day the victim is killed, an investigation as to who the victim was, the police and the audience learning that each of the victims was cruel, or a swindler, fraud… And so the days continue.

The presentation of the crimes, the executions, is very grim – and the crime branded on some part of their body.

It is interesting to follow the unravelling of the crimes, the interconnections, the dramatic buildup to try to prevent final crimes, including a top official at a Speedway event.

There are several twists in the investigation, some quite unexpected – and a rather grim postscript to these events in the behaviour of the investigating policewoman.

1. The title? Evocative? The information about the city’s past history, the conquering of the city, the executions of offenders, restoring order? This background for the 21^st-century situation, fence, justice, revenge? The particular offenses singled out – and the branding on the victims?
2. The city of Breslau, the range of vistas, the beauty of the city, the river, the details of the city, the streets, the racecourse, theatre, police precincts? Authentic feel?
3. The focus on Helena, sitting in the car, the intruders, her gun, seeing the drunken man, her grief? Later filling in the background, her fiance, the wedding plans, the alcoholic man, the accident and her fiance’s death? Her being tough, motivation?
4. Helena and her investigations, the farm background, recognising the hide of the bull, later with the racehorses? Her tough stances, police work, with other members of the staff, with the district attorney and his love of being on the television, taking other people’s theories and promoting them? Her clash with the television journalist?
5. The first killing, gruesome, the method, in the hide? Helena taking over, those assisting her, the crime scene, the autopsy and the doctor and her advice? The branding? Finding out his background by going to the farm, selling of the bulls, going to the abattoir, the interviews with the workers, the young woman upset and angry, the truth about the victim and his cruelty?
6. The second killing, the explosion, the horses rampaging through the city, traffic and crashes, Helena and her pursuit, knowledge of noise and racehorses, taming the horse? The other horse, trampling Helena’s assistant? His going to the hospital, brain dead, Iwona and her that, her story, massaging him, the wife and child? Urging communication in care?
7. The next victim, the methods, the branding, the opera, the singers, the fire, extinction of the fire? The executioner been glimpsed? The identifying of the victims, their background, oppression?
8. In the precinct, the discussions, the explosion and the descending wheel, the victim with the broken bones, identification in the police force?
9. The message from Warsaw, the expert coming, Iwona, local resentments and suspicions, her arrival, dress, manner, big and burly? Her taking command, analysing crime scenes, hypotheses, her expertise? The relationship with Helena, their working together, against the television journalist and her tough tactics with her, the district attorney and interviews? Conversations, eating together?
10. The killings at 6 o’clock, and the sense of tension, anticipation?
11. The plan for the Prime Minister, the racing car rally, the discussion with home security, Helena and her encounter with Iwona, two hours, her recovering? Going to the rally? The speech, the gift of the Prime Minister, the helmet, trying it on, discovering the head, carried out?
12. And the explanation of the helmet, Helena and the two hours, the conversations with Magda, the explanations, the computer stick, the information, Magda and her having followed Helena, knowing her methods, knowing her experience, the dead fiance, capacity for killing? Magda and the guillotine, Helena and the head, taking it into the Speedway?
13. Going to visit Magda’s family, the mother listing all her activities, losing jobs, the injustices, the final eviction from the house? Helena watching the eviction, Magda and her having organised the life insurance policy?
14. The twist with Helena, stalking the alcoholic man, going into his house, confronting him? And the end of the story, in the open ending of what Helena would do and the consequences?