Max Lundqvist

When the police reveal a narcotic smuggling the driver is shot dead. It appears that the driver is Superintendent Martin Beck's son. Beck breaks down and moves out of the way. But on his colleagues request he returns.

The film portrays the Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter August Strindberg's life 1849-1912. Through his extensive correspondence and literary production, from the supposed first work, the drama "The Free Thinker" (1869), to the posthumously published "The Occult Diary" (published 1977 ). But also his three wives, Siri von Essen, Frida Uhl and Harriet Bosse, and the children Karin, Greta and Hans are given space in the film. The unpublished first drama "The Free Thinker", depicts a young man forced to break with family and tradition to follow his conscience and ideals, becomes a prophecy about the author's own life.

サボイ・ホテルのレストランで、複合企業の大物が会食中、何者かに至近距離から銃撃された。陰謀説の渦巻く中、捜査を続けるベックたち。だが、新妻や部下といった怪しい関係者には全てアリバイがあり、犯行を裏づける物証も出てこない。一方、使用された拳銃に的を絞った捜査線上には何人かの人物が浮かび上がっていた。その中の一人は、大物が入院中の病院で発見される。事件の遙か以前から既に、薬害による昏睡状態で入院していたのだ。そして、その原因となった薬を販売していたのが例の複合企業だった……。