Cinema
School for Suicide
Selvmordsskolen
Knud Leif Thomsen · 1964
Synopsis
An ordinary Dane, disappointed by life and by the welfare state that claims to provide for his every need, feels on the verge of collapse and decides to end it all by the simplest means. He turns to Dr X, who runs a suicide school guaranteeing a hundred per cent success rate. A journey then begins in which an undertaker, a public health nurse, a television advertisement and a platform speech pass by.
Context
Shot in colour and widescreen for Palladium, from a screenplay by the author and with music by Bent Fabricius-Bjerre, the film was released on 30 March 1964 and was banned for those under sixteen. The lead role is given to Jørgen Ryg, a revue comedian known for his duo sketches with Preben Kaas, whom the credits designate only as the man who wants to commit suicide. It is, in the view of the Danish lexicon, the film in which his talent shows to best advantage.
Who it is for
An hour and a half, in Danish. A revue-style satire, in sketches, on a grave subject; the leading actor was known for something else entirely.
Prizes and reception
Presented in competition at Berlin in 1964, where it received the Interfilm Award of the Church jury.
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