Director: Arne Mattsson
Year: 1961
Country: Sweden
Rating: 7.0
Aka - Ljuvlig
ar Sommarnatten
Aka - Lovely is the Summer Night
An intriguing Swedish crime film in which
one of the characters says, it is like an Agatha Christie novel. And that
it is. A few murders and lots of suspects that all seem to have solid alibis
and no motives. But in murder there is always a reason. It is shot in crisp
black and white and the cinematography feels very influenced by Bergman's
black and white films. Wonderful framing of the actors against bleak backgrounds.
It is directed by Arne Mattsson with cinematography from Tony Forsberg, who
had just done the same job on a documentary about Bergman. It moves slowly
and in circles as the Investigator questions people time after time and slowly
puts it together.
Anneli (Christina Carlwind) is getting married
at 5 pm that afternoon to a wealthy suitor. She goes into a florist to check
on her bouquet while her friend Dina (Elisabeth Odén) waits outside.
A short downpour suddenly hits and Dina takes cover with two old biddies
who trade gossip back and forth like stocks. When the rain ends, Dina checks
the store and Anneli is gone. Vanished. Inspector Christer (Karl-Arne Holmsten)
is brought down from Stockholm to look into it. There is a comical feel to
the film as all the townspeople come up with their own theories, blame various
people, gossip on the street and over hedges. Her wedding comes and goes
and she doesn't show up. The caterer insists that the parents still have
to pay. Her fiancé appears calm. Her friends are keeping secrets.
Then they find her body peacefully reposed on the shore with flowers on her
chest and knife wound in her heart. It is no longer a comedy. One of these
people is a killer.
