film about suicide

[Michael McCaskey]

These suggestions may not be so good, but some bits might be useful, possibly--

It might be the death-obsessed Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) in Annie Hall (1977). But I wasn't paying enough attention when I saw that to remember plot details very well.

In "What's New Pussycat" (1965), directed by Clive Donner, screenplay by Woody Allen, the Viennese psychiatrist Dr. Fritz Fassbender (Peter Sellers) tries to kill himself in epic Wagnerian style once or twice, until dissuaded by the low-key character Victor (Woody Allen).

This Fassbender character also brings to mind the films of Werner Fassbinder. Maybe something like that happens in "Satansbraten" (1976), a truly disturbing work in which so many troubling things happen it's hard to keep track, or in some other disturbing Fassbinder 1970s film.

A couple of other far-from-the-1970s films that might be remotely pertinent--

In "Three Strangers" (1946), directed by Jean Negulesco, screenplay by John Huston, Sidney Greenstreet plays a crooked lawyer, who has been caught misusing clints' trust funds. In a memorable scene, he prepares to shoot himself, but, being neat, puts newspapers down on the floor first. Sitting on a chair with pistol in hand, he sees a notice in the paper on the floor which changes his mind...he has won a big share of the sweepstakes.

There's also a sort of semi-Danish film (set in Scotland), "Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself" (2002), directed by Lone Scherfig, screenplay by Anders Thomas Jensen, that might fill the bill.

Sorry if these don't fit.

Best Regards,

Michael McCaskey
Georgetown Univ.

----- Original Message -----
From: Schermann Susanne <susanneschermann at yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008 8:08 pm
Subject: film about suicide

> Dear all,
> 
> I am trying to remember a - probably American - film about
> suicide (for comparison with a Japanese film)
> The hero tries to suicide himself, but he is always
> disturbed by a ringing doorbell or some neighbor. 
> 
> I remember it as a comedy, however, I have completely
> forgotten how it ended. I think the film was made in the
> 1970s.
> If anybody has come clue to give me, thank you in advance
> 
> Susanne Schermann
> 
>