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Mathematics Goes to the Movies

by Burkard Polster and Marty Ross

The Devil's Wanton (Fängelse) (1949)

2:08
Martin Grande is a film director (Hasse Ekman) who introduces Paul (Anders Henrikson) to the actors.
MARTIN: This is Paul, my old math teacher.
Paul proposes an idea for a movie, about Hell on Earth. Later they all laugh about Paul and his idea.
THOMAS (Birger Malmstem): He’s crazy of course.
SOFI (Eva Henning): He must be if he taught math for ten years.

75:30
The movie largely consists of the main characters creating their own Hell. Paul appears again at the very end of the movie.
PAUL: Martin, did you think about my idea for a movie?
MARTIN: Yes. It can’t be done. The movie would have to end with a terrible, agonizing question. And such movies shouldn’t be made.