Det kom en gäst...

There's nothing I love to watch more than a good old-fashioned "whodunit" mystery/thriller. Bunch of people gathering in a secluded mansion or island where one of them gets murdered, and then it immediately becomes clear that every single one of the other characters has his/her own motive to be the killer. The reason why I love this genre so much is all because of one woman. One of the greatest persons who ever lived; - Agatha Christie.

Agatha Christie was popular and famous in the 1940s, because of her novels and thanks to the release of the film version of "And Then There Were None" in 1945. Undoubtedly, she was also popular in Sweden, so I'm certainly not excluding the obscure "Det kom en gäst..." was heavily influenced by her work. It's a very traditional whodunit, set around Christmas time on a large Northern farming estate. The Ernstam family, together with friends and neighbors, come together for Christmas but the atmosphere is somewhat ruined when it becomes known that the eldest brother plans to sell the estate. When he's found dead in the stables, it looks like a tragic accident, but not everyone is convinced. A famous writer, who got invited by one of the daughters, begins to investigate. And, of course, more suspicious accidents happen.

Very moody and atmospheric little thriller, efficiently directed by Arne Mattson and beneficing from a couple of strong performances, clever plot twists, and suspenseful highlights. The cast is slightly too large, in my opinion, and it's often difficult to remember who is who, but that's about the only negative element I can write about this charming Swedish oddity.