The Man on the Roof

The Man on the Roof (1976)

The Man on the Roof (Mannen på taket) is a Swedish 1976 crime/action movie based on the 1971 Sjöwall-Wahlöö novel "The Abominable Man" (org. "Den vedervärdige mannen från Säffle"), (literary: "The repulsive man from [the city of] Säffle. It follows Homicide detective Martin Beck (Carl Gustaf Lindstedt) in his investigation of a brutal murder of a fellow policeman. The investigation eventually leads to a shootout in downtown Stockholm where a mad gunman is firing on anyone wearing a police uniform.

The following weapons were used in the film The Man on the Roof:

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Smith & Wesson Model 52

Detective Gunvald Larsson (Thomas Hellberg) carries a Smith & Wesson Model 52 pistol during the movie. Although the S & W M52 only fires the "wadcutter" round, (for paper-targets only), the gun itself looks enough like a deadly piece of hardware for the unitiated.

Smith & Wesson M52 - .38 special

A closeup of the S&W M52

Larsson fires his S&W 52 to light a fuse connected to a breeching charge. There is no recoil, brass ejection or cycle, indicating the gun is either a prop or was otherwise rigged to fire only a small flame.

A wounded Larsson brandishing his S&W Model 52 during the final shootout.

Walther PP

Police Lieutenant Martin Beck (Carl Gustaf Lindstedt) and uniformed police carries a Walther PP pistol, which was the most common service pistol of the Swedish police until it was replaced by the SIG-Sauer P226 (and later SIG-Sauer P-models) in the mid to late 1980's. In the movie the Walther PP is never fired by any character.

Post war Walther PP Pistol - .32 ACP.

Martin Beck with his Walther PP.

Walther or Hammerli .22 LR competition pistol

In both the novel and the movie the gunman is quite specific as owning (and using) a Hämmerli International pistol. The movie version looks like a "Walther/Hämmerli Olympia", or it could be a pre-war Walther Olympia.

The gunman brandishes a .22 LR pistol during the final shootout.

Sideview of the .22 LR. Note the thick thumb-rest and the barrelweight.

Topview of the .22 LR pistol.

Frontview of the .22 LR pistol.

Colt Woodsman pistol

When it's time for the final storming of the gunmans position, Detective Gunwald Larsson asks for volunteers to come up with him. A civilian who owns his own 1st Series Colt Woodsman volunteers to go up with the police task force.

Colt Woodsman 1st Series - .22 LR

A Colt Woodsman pistol carried by civilian.

Carl Gustav M/45

The Carl Gustav M/45B is used by the Swedish S.W.A.T team during the shootout.

Carl Gustav M45 Submachine Gun - Also known as the "Swedish K" - 9x19mm‎. The Swedish police variant, although virtually identical to the military M/45B version, had an added single-shot switch.

A member of the Swedish S.W.A.T preparing his M/45B.

Another police officer with a M/45B preparing to insert via helicopter on the roof where the gunman is holed up.

Carl Gustav M/45 BET

The Swedish S.W.A.T uses specially modified Carl Gustav M/45 (called BET) to fire tear gas at the gunman.

The CG M/45 BET - Tear gas launcher.

A S.W.A.T officer attaches a tear gas grenade to the BET

Frontal site of the BET

"Swedish Mauser" 6.5x55mm

In the shootout the gunman is both seen and described as using a bolt-action rifle, described only as a "Mauser" in-movie, fitted with a scope. The gunman is most likely using the 6.55 mm "Swedish Mauser" due to its long popularity and availability in Sweden. This particular version has a bent down charging handle. In the novel, the gunman uses a Swedish Mauser bayonet to kill his first victim.

Mauser 1896/38 Rifle (Carl Gustaf) - 6.5x55mm

Swedish Mauser with a scope and bent down bolt

FN FAL (M1944 Johnson machine gun mockup)

In the original novel the gunman uses a M1944 Johnson machine gun throughout the shootout. For the movie a FN FAL rifle was modified to look like a Johnson machine gun. The charging handle is on the right side on the original but on the left in the FN FAL movie version. The carrying handle of a standard FN FAL is also obvious in the movie-version of the 1944 MG. The original Johnson has a left side ammo feed, but in the movie version of the MG a false magazine housing had been welded (or otherwise attached) on the left side of the FN FAL. For scenes that required the FN FAL mockup to actually be fired the camera was angled or the weapons bottom part (which housed the necessary FN FAL magazine not present on the 1944 MG) was otherwise concealed.

A FN FAL - 7.62x51mm NATO. This particular version has a folded bipod.

Later M1944 Johnson LMG - .30-06. Judging by the look of the movie-mockup, it was this Johnson-model the FAL was supposed to represent.

The gunman (Ingvar Hirdwall) with his mockup Johnson LMG. The original FN FAL rear sight seems to have been removed and a copy of the MG 1944 rear sight welded on further ahead. Note the classical FN FAL carrying handle and the equally distinctive breech. The magazine is also different from that of a Johnson LMG.

The gunman firing at the police. Note the FAL-magazine inserted at the bottom of the weapon.

Sideview of the mocked up FN FAL during the final assaumt on the gunmans position.