Sven Methling


Sven Johan Methling was a Danish film director and screenwriter. The son of actor and film director Svend Methling, Methling Jr. was best known for a series of light-hearted comedies. His 1959 comedy Vi er allesammen tossede received the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film. Methling also received the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film for the 1955 war drama Der kom en dag.

Career

Sven Johan Methling was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on 20 September 1918. As the son of film director Svend Methling, Methling Jr. was born into the film industry. He started work as a sound assistant with Palladium Films from 1940 to 1945. In 1944, Methling performed the leading role in the drama Det Store Ansvar, directed by his father. Then in 1946, he co-directed with his father an animated feature, Fyretøjet, based on the H.C. Andersen story.
Methling made his solo directorial debut in 1953 with the crime drama Kriminalsagen. His next effort, Der kom en dag was a war drama about the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. Based upon a novel by Flemming Muus, the film received critical praise and was awarded the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film of 1955. Over the next several years, Methling made a series of popular war comedies, the Soldaterkammerater movies. In 1959, Methling directed the surreal comedy Vi er allesammen tossede for which he was again awarded the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film. During the 1960s, Methling began writing screenplays as well as directing, and his name became synonymous with light-hearted comedies.
In 1966, Methling became a teacher at the National Film School of Denmark and he was employed as a consultant at the Danish Film Institute from 1979 to 1981. In the 1990s Methling returned to directing with the popular comedy films, The Crumbs. Methling died in Copenhagen, Denmark on 7 August 2005.

Filmography (selected)

YearFilmPositionOther notes
1944'Actor... Jens the Skipper
1953The Crime of Tove AndersenDirector
1953HejrenæsDirector
1955Der kom en dagDirectorBodil Award for Best Danish Film
1957Englen i sortDirector
1958'Director
1958Ung KærlighedProducer
1959Vi er allesammen tossedeDirectorBodil Award for Best Danish Film
19593 må man væreDirector
1959Soldaterkammerater rykker udDirector
1959'Director
1960'Director
1961'Director
1961Mine tossede drengeDirector
1961'Director
1962'Director
writer
editor
1963Pigen og pressefotografenDirector
1963'Director
1963Syd for Tana RiverCo-Director
1964Majorens oppasserDirector
editor
19645 Mand og RosaWriter
director
1964Når ended er go'Director
1965Passer passer pigerWriter
director
1966'Writer
director
1966Dyden går amokWriter
director
1967'Writer
director
1968'Writer
director
1970Nøglen til ParadisDirector
1972'Director
editor
1972Takt og tome i himmelsengenWriter
director
editor
1976'Writer
1976Familien Gyldenkål sprænger bankenEditor
1979Charly og SteffenEditor
1982'Writer
editor
1982'Writer
director
1985'Editor
1987'Producer
1988'Producer
1989'Producer
editor
1990BananenProducer
editor
1991KrummerneDirectorWon Starboy Award at the Oulu International Children's Film Festival
1992'Director
1994'Director
1994'Director