Who Saw Him Die? (1968) User Reviews (3)

Oscarsson Adds His Entry To Screen's Gallery of Troubled School Teachers

[lchadbou-326-26592 · 6/10 · 3 October 2021]

One of Sweden's finest actors,Per Oscarsson, best known for his performance in the 1966 film Hunger (see my review there) contributes another disturbing creation in this worthy entry from then up and coming director Jan Troell.

His elementary school instructor is a mixture of meanness and incompetence who simply cannot control his class of wild sixth graders even when he tries to clamp down hard. One might think of the harassed Dr Rath played by Emil Jannings in the classic The Blue Angel or for a closer Scandinavian comparison, the authoritarian sadist in Alf Sjoberg's Torment (as written by Ingmar Bergman) though there is more of a late 60s feel to this portrait of young ebellion and frustrated adult driven discipline.

Troell, a former schoolteacher himself, made the film with 16mm equipment, more manageable in the actual Malmo area classrooms it was shot in, and adding a grainy documentary style look to the finished work. He was his own cinematographer on this among others of his oeuvre and has a clever photographer's eye for the vivid stray detail .Adding to the sense of realism, actual elementary students were used in some of the smaller roles.

Teachers Pests

[IanIndependent · 8/10 · 8 May 2023]

This is a film made and set in 1968. However, Malmo wasn't, evidently, like New York or London apparently were at the tail end of the loved up a. In fact it looks to be more like the late '60s were here in Hull.

You'd think that because of this ,and the the fact that I was at school around the same age as the kids in this film, would be a major reason I relate to it.

I do relate to the film on those terms but anyone can immerse themselves in this film. It is a slow burner that builds up the predicament of the main character and of his school charges. This means the impact is not a quick hit but lingers long after the film concludes.

Its narrative and observations are as relevant today as it was 55 years ago. The story tells of the the plight of a teacher in the wrong profession is as much a tragedy now as it was then. Maybe with mobile phones and other technology the ways that pupils can undermine a teacher and get under their skin has changed but this film with an excellent lead in Per Oscarsson highlights the predicament without it becoming sensational.

The IMDB blurb states 'A weak and tormented teacher is pushed to the limit by his obnoxious students.' That suggests more than actually happens. The teacher is by no means strong. Life and his career have worn down his fight. Meanwhile the kids are a usual group who take advantage when the smell their chance.

The fact that this makes the film true to life and the acting of Oscarsson make this both believable and watchable. With slight changes to his expressions and some well acted nervous twitches Oscarsson reveals his character subtly.

.Mention must also be made of the direction and the kids playing the pupils. I was thinking as I watched that the classroom scenes are so natural they were probably filmed in with a real class with selected thespians but I can find no confirmation of that so either the director caught the best of the ensemble or the group of kids were so naturally natural in front of the cameras.

It is a very affecting film that does not resort to cliche, need sensationalism and certainly wouldn't be enhanced by modern technology.

A great film made about when the hard schoolsystem ended

[Jonathan_Lehtonen · 8/10 · 9 May 2001]

The film is somehow scary, and I can't help myself for laughing at the stupid teacher, who is the character which you should feal sorry for. Even if the film is from 1968 it reminds me about my own time in school with old teachers, teaching the old way. A great film.