Skulle det dukke opp flere lik, er det bare å ringe… (1970) Plot Summary Explained

The body vanishes before Constable Grodahl arrives, creating the central mystery. Lilly Hansen discovers Mr. Marthinsen with a knife in his back, but when the police respond, the corpse is gone. This disappearance becomes a key plot element that casts doubt on whether a murder actually occurred, especially since Marthinsen's whereabouts remain unknown throughout the film.

• disappearing body
• mystery
• crime scene
• missing corpse

Lilly Hansen and Chief Inspector Henry Bakker are old acquaintances who had a romantic past together at a place called Rosekjeller'n. Their shared history creates awkward tension during the investigation, as their personal connection makes professional questioning feel loaded and complicated. This backstory adds emotional complexity to their interactions.

• Lilly Hansen
• Bakker
• old flame
• romance
• relationship

The film never confirms whether Marthinsen is dead or alive. While Lilly finds his body with a knife in his back, the body disappears and is never recovered. Later, it's established that Marthinsen never came home that evening, but the mystery remains unresolved. The ending explicitly questions whether a murder even occurred, leaving the central puzzle unsolved.

• Marthinsen death
• murder victim
• ambiguous ending
• whodunit

Bakker initially dismisses the case as a waste of time, irritated at being pulled from bed while suffering from flu. However, he becomes invested when blood is discovered on a chair at the scene, providing physical evidence that something violent occurred. Additionally, his personal connection to Lilly motivates him to take the case seriously rather than simply dismissing it.

• Bakker investigation
• motivation
• blood evidence
• police inquiry

The blood found on a chair in Marthinsen's office serves as concrete evidence that a crime occurred, even though the body has disappeared. This physical proof compels Bakker to treat the case as a possible homicide rather than dismissing it entirely. The blood suggests Marthinsen was attacked in his office, though the investigation never fully resolves what happened.

• blood evidence
• crime scene investigation
• physical proof
• office

Bakker brings Mr. Marthinsen's entire staff into the top-floor office to identify a potential killer and examine alibis. This gathering creates a tense whodunit scenario where colleagues are questioned and motives are explored. The meeting represents the film's climactic investigation moment, aiming to narrow down suspects within the company.

• staff meeting
• suspects
• alibis
• company investigation

Rosekjeller'n appears to be a venue or establishment from Bakker and Lilly's past where they were close friends or romantic partners. Their shared history there makes their current professional interaction awkward, as unresolved feelings between them color how they handle the murder investigation. The reference establishes their emotional connection.

• Rosekjeller'n
• past relationship
• backstory
• history

Constable Jeremias P. Grodahl does not immediately believe Lilly's account because the body has already vanished by the time he arrives at the scene. Without a corpse to examine, her claims of witnessing a murder seem questionable. His skepticism reflects the police's reasonable doubt given the unusual circumstances.

• constable skepticism
• doubt
• police credibility
• witness reliability

The film establishes that Mr. Marthinsen never returned home that evening, but never explains where he went or what happened to him. This absence fuels the mystery of whether he was murdered, faked his death, or simply vanished under mysterious circumstances. His unexplained disappearance drives much of the investigation's urgency.

• Marthinsen disappearance
• missing person
• evening timeline

The film never reveals who attacked Mr. Marthinsen or whether he was even killed. The investigation stalls with multiple possible suspects among his staff, but no definitive conclusion is reached. The ending leaves the question of guilt entirely open, with evidence pointing in multiple directions but no resolution.

• killer
• murderer
• suspect
• whodunit conclusion

Chief Inspector Bakker is irritated because he has been pulled out of bed while suffering from a fever. His bad mood sets a comedic tone for the film and establishes his reluctant attitude toward the investigation. This detail adds to the movie's dark comedy elements, blending crime investigation with humor about everyday frustrations.

• Bakker flu
• fever
• annoyance
• waking up

The film combines crime and comedy by using absurd elements like a disappearing body, an inspector with the flu who doesn't want to work, and the awkwardness of investigating someone you know romantically. These comedic elements undercut typical murder mystery tension, creating a light, humorous tone rather than a serious detective story.

• dark comedy
• humor
• tone
• crime comedy