Inspired by Otto Preminger’s Laura (1944) and featuring evocative blackand- white cinematography by Ingmar Bergman collaborator Gunnar Fischer (Wild Strawberries, The Seventh Seal), I dimma dold tells the story of a matrimonial murder in a Cluedo-style manner. The film follows Lora (Eva Henning), a betrayed wife believed to have shot her spiteful husband, Walter (Georg Rydeberg). Seeking refuge, she disappears into the bustling, mist-covered streets of Stockholm. Filmed with flashbacks and eluding voiceovers, director Lars-Eric Kjellgren successfully captures the essence of American noir dramas, which served as an initial inspiration for acclaimed crime writer Vic Suneson. The growing cultural influence of the US on postwar Sweden left a significant mark on the crime genre. The Swedish upper class, whose decadent lifestyle is critically examined as the film’s fog dissipates, had long emulated German cinema. However, by 1953, with Germany in ruins, the Swedish film industry had adopted new values and role models from the war’s victors, primarily the US. For instance, trenchcoat-clad Inspector Myrman (Sven Lindberg) does his best to resemble a cool private eye, familiar to audiences from American noir. Unlike the Swedish police figures of the 1920s and 1930s, who were often portrayed as either comic relief or as threats, Myrman is depicted as more of a heroic figure. Like Suneson, director Lars-Eric Kjellgren is perhaps less remembered today than many of his contemporaries. However, Kjellgren was one of Sweden’s most significant directors of the 1950s. He had previously made a notable noir Medan staden sover [While the City Sleeps] (1950), where Ingmar Bergman helped him develop the main character. Before turning to directing, Kjellgren worked as an assistant director for Gustaf Molander, co-wrote scripts for Erik “Hampe” Faustman, and served as a production manager for both Alf Sjöberg and Ingmar Bergman.

Tora Berg