The Man Who Smiled
Encyclopedia
The Man Who Smiled is a novel by Swedish crime-writer Henning Mankell
, and is the fourth in the Inspector Wallander series, although the English translations have not been published in chronological order.
), Inspector Kurt Wallander finds himself spiralling into an alcohol-fuelled depression. He has just decided to leave the police when an old friend, Sten Torstensson, approaches him to secretly investigate the recent death of his father in a car accident. At first Kurt dismisses his friend's suspicions as unlikely, when Sten is found dead, murdered with no doubt, in exactly the same manner as a Norwegian businessman shortly before. Against his previous judgement, Kurt returns to work to investigate what he is convinced is a case of double murder.
into a two-hour television movie
, starring Rolf Lassgård
as Wallander. The Man Who Smiled has also been adapted into a 90-minute television episode for the BBC
's Wallander series starring Kenneth Branagh
as Wallander. It was first broadcast on 10 January 2010.
Henning Mankell
Henning Mankell is a Swedish crime writer, children's author, leftist activist and dramatist, best known for a series of mystery novels starring his most famous creation, Inspector Kurt Wallander.-Life and career:...
, and is the fourth in the Inspector Wallander series, although the English translations have not been published in chronological order.
Synopsis
After killing a man in the line of duty (in The White LionessThe White Lioness
The White Lioness is a crime novel by Swedish writer Henning Mankell, the third in the Inspector Wallander series.-Synopsis:...
), Inspector Kurt Wallander finds himself spiralling into an alcohol-fuelled depression. He has just decided to leave the police when an old friend, Sten Torstensson, approaches him to secretly investigate the recent death of his father in a car accident. At first Kurt dismisses his friend's suspicions as unlikely, when Sten is found dead, murdered with no doubt, in exactly the same manner as a Norwegian businessman shortly before. Against his previous judgement, Kurt returns to work to investigate what he is convinced is a case of double murder.
Adaptations
In 2003, The Man Who Smiled was adapted by Swedish public broadcaster Sveriges TelevisionSveriges Television
Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
into a two-hour television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, starring Rolf Lassgård
Rolf Lassgård
Rolf Lassgård is a Swedish actor.-Biography:A keen amateur ice hockey player in his youth, Lassgård also joined theatre teacher Ingemar Lind's Institute for the Performing Arts in the village of Storhögen outside Östersund. He then attended the Stage School in Malmö from 1975-78...
as Wallander. The Man Who Smiled has also been adapted into a 90-minute television episode for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Wallander series starring Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from Northern Ireland. He is best known for directing and starring in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays including Henry V , Much Ado About Nothing , Hamlet Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from...
as Wallander. It was first broadcast on 10 January 2010.