Tärningen är kastad

A successful television series in the pioneering era of the screen: viewers in Sweden are also crazy about crime dramas. THE DICE HAVE FALLED is the name of the successful show, whose scriptwriter comes up with increasingly complicated murders. But then the first real murder occurs, which is clearly based on the script of the series. Has the resourceful author now mutated into a real murderer?

Quite charming murder story in black and white and from Sweden, which, as a cinema film, also takes on the competition from the Flimmerkiste. Not earth-shattering, but highly watchable, what NETFLIX dug out of the Swedish archives.

It was directed by Rolf HUSBERG, who is also responsible for the Kalle Blomquist films of the fifties. The sharp-tongued acting veteran features the striking Anita BJÖRK, who is known from DAS UNSICHTBARE NETZ / NIGHT PEOPLE with Gregory PECK and Marianne KOCH. And the screenwriter is the well-known Swedish writer Kerstin EKMAN, who was a member of the Swedish Academy between 1978 and 1989 and co-awarded the Nobel Prizes for Literature during this time. In those years, for example, Elias CANETTI, Gabriel GARCIA MARQUEZ and Claude SIMON were honored.

"The Die Is Cast" (1960) is a very confusing murder mystery: there are way too many extraneous characters (especially the two neighbors and the maid), who are not developed enough for the viewer. Also a lot of the intrigue seems to involve past events, and characters that we never even get to meet. The filmmakers never get much tension or at least a sense of plot porgression going, and what remains is mostly talk, though the cast themselves are good (Anita Bjork is probably the biggest name, although her role is relatively small). In general, I found the film unsuccessful, but not unwatchable. ** out of 4.

I think it is fair to say, that it is tough to put this in a box. As someone else has stated before, this almost seems unsure of itself, when it comes to genre and where it belongs. Which can be a great thing for viewers ... but can be a bad thing too - depending on the viewer and the mood they are in, watching this.

I'd say it is quite the oddity ... and it is well made - considering the budget and the age of the movie. They did have color film in the 60s if you wonder, but it was not used here. I'd say it helps being black and white - but maybe you feel that's not the case. Strange characters, old stereotypes and much more collide ... to a conclusion you may see coming.

This crimethriller is based on a screenplay partly written by Kerstin Ekman, famous Swedish author and previous member of The Swedish Academy(they decide who gets the nobel prize in litterature)but resigned after the Salman Rushdie affair.

Just this fact makes this film very unusual. The other strange part is the setting,a TV-studio creating crimedrama, which makes it some kind of meta, ironic twist to this film. The same kind of music whenever something exciting is happening in TV show is used throughout the "real" film.

Almost as if the makers of this film knew how to make fun of this genre and at the same time make it exciting. It is fairly generic story but the writing and direction and great Swedish actors makes it above the usual crimethrillers.

Åke Falck playing the suspected killer/screenwriter and also the sleuth that has to try and solve this murder case before the killer gets away. He plays his part pretty good and delivers some very memorable scenes.

Jan Malmsjö as a creepy, murder victim who had a lot of enemies and no friends, he is very good here playing a pretty despicable character.

Anita Björk as Rebecka Striid, a femme fatale, a noir cliché but gives us a good performance and her role is pretty shocking considering her openness about sex (this film was shot in 1960) and the many casual encounters she has.

Let us not forget the trio of Toivo Pawlo, Allan Edwall, Sif Ruud that brings a comic relief and also gives clues and inspiration to the main character how he can solve the crime.

Viewers should seek up this film but as long as they don't expect to much. Oddly it's better the most thrillers made in Sweden today.

This Swedish murder mystery involves the death of an actor found hanged on set... the death mirrors that of his character in a popular murder mystery series. The fact that Jerk Domare, the writer, was there makes him a prime suspect. Suspicion only increases when more crimes that follow his stories occur.

The central ideas of this film may lead modern audiences to think it isn't all that original but we must remember the film's age; most of the similar stories we recall were almost certainly made many years after this. The central mystery is intriguing and my opinion of Jerk's guilt or innocence switched more than once before the final reveal. There are a few deaths but nothing disturbing is shown so it can be enjoyed by fans of the genre who aren't keen on gore. I thought the cast did a fine job bringing their characters to life and far from making the film feel dated the fact that it is in black and white just adds to the atmosphere. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of the genre.

These comments are based on watching the film in Swedish with English subtitles.