Kaasua, komisario Palmu!
Encyclopedia
Kaasua, komisario Palmu! (1961) (″Gas, Inspector Palmu!″) is a Finnish crime movie directed by Matti Kassila
. The main cast of actors is the same as that of the first though some actors such as Elina Salo
, Pentti Siimes
and Aino Mantsas play different characters,
It's based on the first Inspector Palmu
novel Kuka murhasi rouva Skrofin? by Mika Waltari
but was the second one filmed, after Komisario Palmun erehdys
. Unlike the first film it was produced by Fennada. According to director Kassila, Toivo Särkkä (the producer of the first film) didn't like the story of the novel and thus its rights were purchased by Fennada producer Mauno Mäkelä, who also produced the third movie Tähdet kertovat, komisario Palmu
.
Palmu's suspicions about Kuurna are aroused due to his unusually proactive involvement in the murder case as well for delivering Kirsti's suicide note, which at first glance doesn't appear to concern him. After Kirsti's failed suicide attempt
Kuurna is put under police watch. When he shines the light on a hanged mannequin on his window the police and Palmu first suspect he has killed himself. Kurt reveals himself to be the killer with his gruesome portrait of Palmu (where Palmu is depicted as Janus
) where he accidentally painted the tipped pot over the gas-cooker, a detail only the murderer would have known.
The climax is heavily indicative that Kuurna is homosexual but the motives of the murder are also tied to the story about his ancestor's surrender of a horse to the King of Sweden. This similarity spotted by Virta late into the film believing that Kuurna has turned the event into a metaphor for his own motives. Though Palmu initially dismisses the idea, he later confronts Kuurna with the theory. It is revealed that Kurt had feelings for Kaarle and intended to have him framed for the murder in order to save him, believing the police could not establish a motive for Kaarle even though everything else points to him being the killer.
What ultimately motivates Kuurna to kill Alma Skrof is a remark about his and Kaarle's relationship being abnormal. Kuurna is a decisively complex killer, his motives being more psychological than practical, who also displays guilt over his actions. He intercepts the false confession made by Kirsti and he may have painted the tilted pot unconscious that it would ultimately tie him to the crime-scene. After Palmu points out the tilted pot in Kuurna's painting, Kurt attempts suicide by throwing himself down the spiral stairwell of his apartment building but is stopped by the police at the last second.
Matti Kassila
Matti Kassila is a Finnish film director who achieved fame as one of the most prominent Finnish filmmakers in the 1950s and 60s. He is most famous for the series of four Inspector Palmu movies, based on the character created by Mika Waltari...
. The main cast of actors is the same as that of the first though some actors such as Elina Salo
Elina Salo
Elina Salo is a Finnish film, theatre and television actress who has also done work in radio as a voice actor in children’s programming. In her career that began in 1956, Salo has appeared in over 50 films and television shows but she is best known for her work in Aki Kaurismäki’s films. She has...
, Pentti Siimes
Pentti Siimes
Pentti Siimes is a Finnish actor. He has appeared in 86 films and television shows since 1946. He starred in the film Miriam, which was entered into the 8th Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
and Aino Mantsas play different characters,
It's based on the first Inspector Palmu
Inspector Palmu
Inspector Frans J. Palmu, depicted as "a gruff detective of the Helsinki police department", is one of the most popular characters created by Finnish writer Mika Waltari ....
novel Kuka murhasi rouva Skrofin? by Mika Waltari
Mika Waltari
Mika Toimi Waltari was a Finnish writer, best known for his best-selling novel The Egyptian .- Early life :...
but was the second one filmed, after Komisario Palmun erehdys
Komisario Palmun erehdys
Komisario Palmun erehdys is a Finnish crime film directed by Matti Kassila, and based on the second Inspector Palmu novel by the same name by Mika Waltari....
. Unlike the first film it was produced by Fennada. According to director Kassila, Toivo Särkkä (the producer of the first film) didn't like the story of the novel and thus its rights were purchased by Fennada producer Mauno Mäkelä, who also produced the third movie Tähdet kertovat, komisario Palmu
Tähdet kertovat, komisario Palmu
Tähdet kertovat, komisario Palmu is a Finnish crime movie directed by Matti Kassila. It is the third film in the Inspector Palmu series and the second one produced by Fennada. The novel was written by Waltari through the explicit request by director Kassila. It is also the last film in the series...
.
Synopsis
Mrs. Skrof, a hated woman belonging to a religious sect, is found dead in her apartment, apparently from inhaling gas leaking from her cooker while under the influence of sleep-medication. Several details of the case lead Inspector Palmu to suspect that she was murdered including a crooked soup pot, her unusually strong sleeping pills and the fact her dog has been killed (its neck being broken).Characters
- Inspector Palmu - Investigates the death and becomes convinced Mrs. Skrof was murdered. (Played by Joel RinneJoel RinneToivo Joel Rinne was a prolific Finnish actor of stage and screen. Among his most memorable film parts was the title role in the Inspector Palmu movie series, which started in 1960's Komisario Palmun erehdys, and continued in three sequels.-External links:...
) - Detective Toivo Virta - Palmu's intellectual assistant detective. (Played by Matti RaninMatti RaninMatti Helge Ranin is a famous actor in Finland. His parents were actor Helge Ranin and actor Saara Ranin .He has had an extensive career both in film and television...
) - Detective Väinö Kokki - A jack-of-all-trades detective with many useful contacts. (Played by Leo Jokela)
- Kirsti Skrof - Mrs. Alma Scrof's stepdaughter whom she treated harshly after her father's death. Under the conditions of her stepmother's will Kirsti will only inherit her fortune if she marries Alma's nephew Kaarle Lankela. She was sexually harassed by Reverend Mustapää during confirmation school. (Played by Elina SaloElina SaloElina Salo is a Finnish film, theatre and television actress who has also done work in radio as a voice actor in children’s programming. In her career that began in 1956, Salo has appeared in over 50 films and television shows but she is best known for her work in Aki Kaurismäki’s films. She has...
) - Kurt Kuurna - a wealthy painter who lives with Lankela and partakes in his drunken escapades. A descendant of Swedish nobility he relays the story of how one of his ancestors gave his horse to the King of Sweden during the 30 Years War and was himself killed instead. (Played by Pentti SiimesPentti SiimesPentti Siimes is a Finnish actor. He has appeared in 86 films and television shows since 1946. He starred in the film Miriam, which was entered into the 8th Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
) - Kaarle Lankela - Nephew of Alma Skrof, a race-car driver and a notorious womanizer, he becomes the prime suspect for the murder as the investigations continue. (Played by Saulo Haarla)
- Reverend P. Mustapää - A flunked theology student who formed his own Christian sect that Alma Skrof is a member of as well as a notable financial contributor. (Played by Risto Mäkelä)
- Alma Skrof - Kirsti's stepmother and a hated woman who dies after inhaling too much gas while under the influence of a sleeping drug. She is extremely wealthy and wanted to force Kirsti and Kaarle to marry one another. She belongs to the sect led by Reverend Mustapää but cuts them out of her will when she finds evidence of him sexually harassing female members of his church. (Played by Henny Valjus)
- Iiri Salmia/Irina Saljenko - A Russian born night club dancer with a husband living in StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. Lankela had a relationship with her though she reveals that she rejected her on the pretence that he wasn't wealthy enough. (Played by Aino Mantsas)
The Murderer
In the film the murderer is revealed to be Kurt Kuurna. Although all the evidence points to Kaarle Lankela, the attempted suicide and false but accurate confession made by Kirsti Skrof (taken from details that were given to her by Virta) causes the whole affair to become untangled.Palmu's suspicions about Kuurna are aroused due to his unusually proactive involvement in the murder case as well for delivering Kirsti's suicide note, which at first glance doesn't appear to concern him. After Kirsti's failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempts comprise a large portion of suicide attempts. Some are regarded as not true attempts at all, but rather parasuicide. The usual attempt may be a wish to affect another person by the behaviour. Consequently, it occurs in a social context and may represent a request for help....
Kuurna is put under police watch. When he shines the light on a hanged mannequin on his window the police and Palmu first suspect he has killed himself. Kurt reveals himself to be the killer with his gruesome portrait of Palmu (where Palmu is depicted as Janus
Janus
-General:*Janus , the two-faced Roman god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings*Janus , a moon of Saturn*Janus Patera, a shallow volcanic crater on Io, a moon of Jupiter...
) where he accidentally painted the tipped pot over the gas-cooker, a detail only the murderer would have known.
The climax is heavily indicative that Kuurna is homosexual but the motives of the murder are also tied to the story about his ancestor's surrender of a horse to the King of Sweden. This similarity spotted by Virta late into the film believing that Kuurna has turned the event into a metaphor for his own motives. Though Palmu initially dismisses the idea, he later confronts Kuurna with the theory. It is revealed that Kurt had feelings for Kaarle and intended to have him framed for the murder in order to save him, believing the police could not establish a motive for Kaarle even though everything else points to him being the killer.
What ultimately motivates Kuurna to kill Alma Skrof is a remark about his and Kaarle's relationship being abnormal. Kuurna is a decisively complex killer, his motives being more psychological than practical, who also displays guilt over his actions. He intercepts the false confession made by Kirsti and he may have painted the tilted pot unconscious that it would ultimately tie him to the crime-scene. After Palmu points out the tilted pot in Kuurna's painting, Kurt attempts suicide by throwing himself down the spiral stairwell of his apartment building but is stopped by the police at the last second.