WALLANDER: CELLISTEN

Sweden, 2009, 85 minutes, Colour.
Krister Henriksson, Lina Endre, Sverrir Gudnason, Nina Zanjani, Fredrik Gunnarsson, Douglas Johansson, Max Bergman, Stina Ekblad, Magnus Roosmann.
Directed by Stephan Apelgren.

In the Swedish version of Wallander, Krister Henriksson plays Wallander in twenty-six episodes, the first in 2005, the second in 2009/10. He is a contrast with Kenneth Branagh who portrayed Wallander in six British/Swedish telemovies.

The Swedish film is much more ordinary in its presentation of police work in Sweden, contrasting with the Branagh version where he is a tortured soul and the film focuses on his own personal crises, relationship with his father and his daughter, his anguishing over his work and its implications.

Wallander seems a much more ordinary person in this film, laughing a great deal more than does his Branagh counterpart. The team is there working with him as well.

The films are interesting police stories in themselves, as well as Swedish interpretations of the novels by Henning Mankell.



1. The place of this film in the second series of Wallander films? Its quality, impact?

2. The Ystad setting, the town, homes, the water, the streets, the precincts? The concert halls? The musical score – especially the cello music?

3. Wallander, his listening to the concert, enraptured by the music? His background, age, about to retire? His walking, his dog? The interactions with Katarina? With Pontus and Isabell? Working with his team? Relying on them? Svartman and his ordinary work, but his breakthroughs? Martinson and his Wallander suspicious of him?

4. The focus on the cellist, the murder of her boyfriend? The car bombs? The Russian Mafia? The cellist and her being a witness? Wallander talking with her? Her being taken to the hospital, her surviving, the faulty bomb? The possibility of losing the use of her hands?

5. The background of the Russian Mafia, the boss, his son as an assassin? The son arrested and in jail? The boss and his henchmen, his orders? Yet his not being on any police lists? His religiosity, visiting the churches, Russian Orthodox, the icons? A cruel man? The irony of his leaving the concert, passing Wallander, dropping his wallet, Wallander picking it up and giving it to him?

6. The cellist, her release from hospital? The protection? Her being transferred to the boat? The recovery of her ability to play? The build-up to the final concert? On the houseboat, the attack of the criminals, her shooting?

7. Katarina, her work as a prosecutor, friendship with Wallander? Something more? Jens Riis and her background with him? His being involved in the case from Malmo? His living on the boat, his relationship with his daughter? His becoming involved, working with Katarina? With Wallander? The discussions, his contribution? The criminals and their taking his daughter as hostage, blindfolding her, his concern, the rescue?

8. Katarina, the investigation of the case, Wallander and the clues? His confrontation with the Mafia boss, in the church? His speculation, offering him a deal?

9. The boss, going to jail, the greeting to his son, the reconciliation from the past and his despising of his son? Their both serving jail sentences?

10. The straightforwardness of the story, the role of the cellist, Wallander and Katarina going to her concert? The successful pursuit of a criminal case?