The literal translation of this film title is: "The fire engine that disappeared". The story is however not centred around a fire engine even though fire plays a certain role in this drama, as well as a small toy fire engine.
This is a story built on a book by two of the very first - and very best - 'crime writers' in Sweden: Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö.
As its principal individual we find the police inspector (superintendent) Martin Beck and his tough, hardhitting colleague Gunvald Larsson. In this version Beck is played by Gösta Ekman and Larsson by Rolf Lassgård.
One of their police colleagues is assigned a routine task, surveilling a house where one believe men are buying sex.
All of a sudden the house explodes and Larsson tries to rescue some of the men and women being trapped inside the building.
At first it looks as a suicide through gas being inflamed and exploding but one also find a bomb adapted inside the house, wherefore it's obvious that someone planned to kill one or more persons in this house. In that case a regular murder.
From now on the investigation grows and all of a sudden Beck et consortes find indices pointing towards a narcotic syndicate.
A far too important case for Beck?
As a Swede I'm used to see Gösta Ekman in comedies and therefore I don't find him convincing in the role as Beck but on the other hand, I'm not impressed by Peter Haber in this role either, wherefore I still search for the 'perfect' Beck.
Rolf Lassgård is perhaps more congenial as Larsson, seen in relation to the books but Mikael Persbrandt is much more entertaining with a lot of punch lines that he delivers in a wonderful way.
This version is not bad at all but - as we've written before - it's not at all the same professionalism and 'flow' as in the American or British crime films or -series.
Well, I don't know if I/we can add anything more to this film. Judge for yourselves. What one can add is: Read the books by Sjöwall/Wahlöö instead, they are great!
Director: Hajo Gies.
This is a story built on a book by two of the very first - and very best - 'crime writers' in Sweden: Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö.
As its principal individual we find the police inspector (superintendent) Martin Beck and his tough, hardhitting colleague Gunvald Larsson. In this version Beck is played by Gösta Ekman and Larsson by Rolf Lassgård.
One of their police colleagues is assigned a routine task, surveilling a house where one believe men are buying sex.
All of a sudden the house explodes and Larsson tries to rescue some of the men and women being trapped inside the building.
At first it looks as a suicide through gas being inflamed and exploding but one also find a bomb adapted inside the house, wherefore it's obvious that someone planned to kill one or more persons in this house. In that case a regular murder.
From now on the investigation grows and all of a sudden Beck et consortes find indices pointing towards a narcotic syndicate.
A far too important case for Beck?
As a Swede I'm used to see Gösta Ekman in comedies and therefore I don't find him convincing in the role as Beck but on the other hand, I'm not impressed by Peter Haber in this role either, wherefore I still search for the 'perfect' Beck.
Rolf Lassgård is perhaps more congenial as Larsson, seen in relation to the books but Mikael Persbrandt is much more entertaining with a lot of punch lines that he delivers in a wonderful way.
This version is not bad at all but - as we've written before - it's not at all the same professionalism and 'flow' as in the American or British crime films or -series.
Well, I don't know if I/we can add anything more to this film. Judge for yourselves. What one can add is: Read the books by Sjöwall/Wahlöö instead, they are great!
Director: Hajo Gies.
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