The Man from Majorca
Encyclopedia
The Man from Majorca is a 1984 Swedish film directed by Bo Widerberg. The film is based on the novel Grisfesten by Leif G. W. Persson
. The novel has big similarities with the Geijer affair (a rumor that the Swedish minister of justice had been with prostitutes, that the Swedish police had knowledge of it and had informed the prime minister). Leif G.W. Persson lost his job at the police because talking to a journalist about his knowledge about the Geijer case, but denied in the preface of the book (Grisfesten) which he wrote soon after, that it had any connections to the affair.
at Saint Lucy's Day December 13. The policemen Johansson and Jarnebring are the first on the scene and they chase the robber, who escapes. Shortly after, someone dies in a car accident and a dead body is found at a graveyard. After a while it is clear that these incidents has something to do with the robbery, and when the policemen are investigating further, they are beginning to reveal a bigger scandal. Meanwhile it seems that there is a cover up going on.
Leif G. W. Persson
Leif Gustav Willy Persson is a Swedish criminologist and novelist. He was a professor in criminology at the Swedish National Police Board from 1992 to 2008. He is known for his crime fiction novels and for his regular appearances as an expert commentator on notable crime cases in television and...
. The novel has big similarities with the Geijer affair (a rumor that the Swedish minister of justice had been with prostitutes, that the Swedish police had knowledge of it and had informed the prime minister). Leif G.W. Persson lost his job at the police because talking to a journalist about his knowledge about the Geijer case, but denied in the preface of the book (Grisfesten) which he wrote soon after, that it had any connections to the affair.
Plot
A robber calmly holds up a post-office in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
at Saint Lucy's Day December 13. The policemen Johansson and Jarnebring are the first on the scene and they chase the robber, who escapes. Shortly after, someone dies in a car accident and a dead body is found at a graveyard. After a while it is clear that these incidents has something to do with the robbery, and when the policemen are investigating further, they are beginning to reveal a bigger scandal. Meanwhile it seems that there is a cover up going on.
Trivia
- Carl-Gustaf LindstedtCarl-Gustaf LindstedtCarl-Gustaf Lindstedt was a Swedish actor. He grew up in Kungsholmen in Stockholm, where there now is a street named after him....
was originally chosen for the role of Dahlgren but was replaced by Ernst Günther due to illness just after three days of shooting. - Some scenes were filmed without permission from the Stockholm police, like scenes in the subway, because Widerberg was impatient to wait for the permit. There were some disputes with the police during the helicopter crash scene in the last thriller The Man on the RoofThe Man on the RoofThe Man on the Roof is a 1976 Swedish film directed by Bo Widerberg, based on the 1971 novel The Abominable Man by Sjöwall and Wahlöö. The film is a crime thriller about the police officer Martin Beck trying to catch a killer, and it reaches its climax when the killer barricades himself on a roof...
at OdenplanOdenplanOdenplan is a plaza located in the district Vasastaden in central Stockholm, Sweden, named after the old Norse god Oden. The Odenplan metro station, opened in 1952, is located here...
(also seen in this movie) and for that the film team had to borrow cars from the Solna police instead. - The movie was shot mainly on Mondays due to the schemes of Sven WollterSven WollterSven Wollter is a Swedish actor. He was born and grew up in Gothenburg.Sven Wollter is an actor in Sweden and has starred in many films such as, The Man on the Roof, The Man from Majorca, Änglagård and Jerusalem, based on the novel by Selma Lagerlöf...
who played theatre in GävleGävleGävle is a city in Sweden, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County. It had 71,033 inhabitants in 12/31 2010. It is the oldest city in the historical Norrland , having received its charter in 1446 from Christopher of Bavaria.-History:It is believed that the name Gävle...
and Tomas von BrömssenTomas von BrömssenTomas Birger von Brömssen is a Swedish actor.He played leading roles in Albert & Herbert, My Life as a Dog , Dykaren , Mannen från Mallorca and Sofies verden .He was first...
who played theatre in GothenburgGothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. Mondays were the only days that both were free. - Bo Widerberg wanted more realistic scenes with a nerve for the car chase scene at Klarastrandsleden and took some additional scenes with the actors against real traffic.
- There are similarities between The Man from Majorca and Widerbergs first thriller The Man on the RoofThe Man on the RoofThe Man on the Roof is a 1976 Swedish film directed by Bo Widerberg, based on the 1971 novel The Abominable Man by Sjöwall and Wahlöö. The film is a crime thriller about the police officer Martin Beck trying to catch a killer, and it reaches its climax when the killer barricades himself on a roof...
(actors, extras, clothes), but also similarities with the 1971 thriller The French ConnectionThe French Connection (film)This article is about the 1971 film. For the British fashion label, see French Connection .The French Connection is a 1971 American crime film directed by William Friedkin. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the non-fiction book by Robin Moore...
(two cops' police work, Christmas setting, quarrel between departments, car chase, unsettling ending), which also was an inspiration for this movie.
Cast
- Sven WollterSven WollterSven Wollter is a Swedish actor. He was born and grew up in Gothenburg.Sven Wollter is an actor in Sweden and has starred in many films such as, The Man on the Roof, The Man from Majorca, Änglagård and Jerusalem, based on the novel by Selma Lagerlöf...
as Jarnebring - Tomas von BrömssenTomas von BrömssenTomas Birger von Brömssen is a Swedish actor.He played leading roles in Albert & Herbert, My Life as a Dog , Dykaren , Mannen från Mallorca and Sofies verden .He was first...
as Johansson - Ernst Günther as Dahlgren
- Håkan Serner as Andersson
- Ole Ränge as Anderssons assistant
- Tommy Johnson as Rundberg
- Thomas Hellberg as Berg at SÄK
- Ingvar Hirdwall as Bergs assistant
- Rico Rönnbäck as Kjell Göran Hedberg at SÄK
- Gert FylkingGert FylkingGert Sten Fylking, born on October 7, 1945 in Stockholm, is a Swedish actor, journalist, politician and anchorman of the radio programme Rix MorronZoo on Rix FM, where he is known by the nickname of Fylking Sverige . He has participated in many theatre productions, films and TV programmes...
as Öst, Hedbergs colleague - Niels Jensen as Roger "Rogge" Jansson
- Marie Delleskog as Janssons fiancee
- Hans VilliusHans Villiusis a Swedish historian and popular TV and radio personality.Villius received his doctorate in history in 1951 with his dissertation Karl XII:s ryska fälttåg: Källstudier in which he critically analysed the narrative sources of Charles XII's officers during the campaign...
as Minister of Justice - Nina Gunke as Eva Zetterberg