Humour (spoilers possible)

There's a lot of droll touches in the film that I think are worth commenting on. For example, Antti Rahikanen is residing in a hostel called 'Silver Lining Hostel'. When we first meet Inspector Pennanen he's looking in a book at a photograph of a cemetery. The beggar who thinks he's been given a gift by Rahikanen and ends up accused of murder. Eeva's boss getting runs over by a tram whilst trying to shoot Rahikanen. I'm sure there's more. Of course such humour is dark and touches on tragedy in some instances.

There are moments of the absurd too. The victim, Honaken, being killed to the strains of classical music. Eeva telling Antti she'll wait for him whilst he's in prison but he rejects her on the basis that he prefers isolation and being alone. Antti's decision to kill Honaken because he was like a louse, recalling the opening scene where Antti splices a bug in half. Later Antti declares he wanted to kill a principle and not a man. Indeed the tale in the film shows the absurdity of murder I think whereas the book is more concerned with morality and conscience. Mind you it's been a very long time since I read the book ...

Overall I found the film watchable but ponderous at times. In an interview with Kaurismaki that's available on the Artificial Eye dvd he says that he chose to adapt Crime and Punishment because Hitchcock said he would never touch the book as it was too difficult. Kaurismaki thought I'll show you old man and later appreciated what Hitchcock meant as he was filming!

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues