The Quiet Battle

Matador is a Danish TV series produced and shown between 1978 and 1982. It is set in the fictional Danish town of Korsbæk between 1929 and 1947. It follows the lives of a range of characters from across the social spectrum, focusing specifically on the rivalry between the families of two businessmen: The banker Hans Christian Varnæs, an established local worthy, and social climber Mads Skjern, who arrives in town as the series opens. The name Matador was taken from the localised edition of the boardgame Monopoly, also the series' tentative English title. In addition, in contemporary Danish a "matador" is often used to describe a business tycoon, in the series referring to the character of Mads Skjern and his craftiness as a self-made entrepreneur. Directed by famed Danish film maker Erik Balling, Matador was the idea of author Lise Nørgaard who wrote the bulk of the episodes alongside Karen Smith, Jens Louis Petersen and Paul Hammerich. The series is one of the most well-known and popular examples of Danish television and represents the peak of longtime development of Danish TV drama by the public service channel Danmarks Radio. The series has become part of the modern self-understanding of Danes, partly because of its successful mix of melodrama and a distinct warm Danish humour in the depiction of characters, which were portrayed by a wide range of the most popular Danish actors at the time; but also not least because of its accurate portrayal of a turbulent Denmark from around the start of the Great Depression and through Nazi Germany's occupation of Denmark in World War II.

Mølleby is a small, cozy market town. The year is 1924, and the sight of a Rolls Royce from Copenhagen is a sensation. But all is not as idyllic as it seems. The town's new mayor is trying to build a new brickworks to ensure the town's growth and future, but the previous mayor is doing everything he can to thwart these ambitious plans...

Story of a young ballet student in Denmark who succeeds despite her mother’s objections.

The series follows the residents of an apartment building on Copenhagen's Christianshavn, as they go about their daily lives and challenges. There is Olsen, a mover with an old fashion view of the world, Clausen who runs the local pet shop, Egon the career focused assistant, their wives who work hard to keep their spouses lives together, the young couple Tue and Rikke who recently moved in, the hard working caretaker Meyer, who never puts in to much effort, and of course Emma, the innkeeper of Rottehullet, where all the important decisions are made while running up the bar tab. The series was produced by Nordisk Film for Danmarks Radio TV station between the years 1970-77. The series' first director was Ebbe Langberg, then Erik Balling and Tom Hedegaard respectively. The series was conceived by an author team of well-known Danish authors such Leif Panduro, Benny Andersen, and Lise Nørgaard.

The young folk singer Peter Jespersen has returned from abroad and is now without a contract. He approaches director Andresen of the Alhambra Theatre, but is rejected, and Peter understands from the conversation that it will be important for him to get an impresario who can take care of the business for him. He approaches the theatre agents Bang and Mathisen, whose motto is: "If you have the talent, we will get you the contract".

The celebrated actor George Bergmann has four divorces behind him. When his four former wives get the impression that he is cozying up to a very young actress, they feel that they must take action. However, this leads to various misunderstandings and complications, which partly involves the former wives' new men and partly the young girl's strict parents.

In 1801, the composer Weyse's cousin, the cheerful Henriette Frisch, advised her cousin to take in some student boarders in the house, so that he would not have to provide so much musical information, but could have more time to compose. The result, however, was that Weyse had to take on even more students to feed the boarders, and it was particularly bad with the gifted student Kramer, whose wealthy uncle would not send any more money.

A large Danish provincial town in the year 1888. Headmaster Wang's wife needs recreation, and the kind headmaster sends her and his youngest daughter Emma to Fanø. In his solitude, he delves into his youth memories and invents, among other things, a "Nordic tragedy", which he wrote during his student days and gave the proud title "Erik Ejegod's Pilgrimage". A theatre director encourages the headmaster to have the play performed at the theatre.

Mathisen has just left prison after a 3-month "recreational stay" and is resuming his work on the wrong side of the law with renewed energy. But things are not always as one hopes. The boss of the gang, of which Mathisen, before the little vacation, was a member, is dead, and the small hotel in Nyhavn, which was a hideout for the gang's small businesses, is going badly. Who will now get the brilliant ideas for the little "thugs", now that the boss has gone to the eternal hunting grounds? But luck follows the crazy.

The world-distant and absent-minded professor Jacob Jensen lives exclusively for his science and his stamps. He has no idea what is going on around him, in his own home. In the 11 years since his wife died, his capable, wise and lovable housekeeper Karen Frederiksen has, with a loving hand, managed the home for him and his 3 children. The aspiring amateur boxer Oscar and the 2 daughters Else-Margrethe and Birthe. She has shared in the children's sorrows and joys and has often lent them money when they have had dry pocket pains. She has praised and scolded them at the right times - in short, she has been in their mother's place. Both the professor and the children take her for granted. They take her services, big and small, for granted, and do not quite understand what she really means to them.

Eight old school friends meet at Tove's to discuss what has happened in the last 10 years. Some have made careers, others have become homemakers, some are married and others alone. The community is intact, but what no one knows is that Tove is hiding a big, unhappy secret.

Ditte is born out of wedlock and lives as a young girl with her old beloved grandmother. As an illegitimate child she is teased in school and more than anything in the world she wants a father. When steady - utterly reliable - herring dealer Lars Petter shows up and tells her that he is marrying Ditte's mother, the little girl is very happy. Now Ditte must take care of three new sisters and brothers but gets nothing but complaints from her ungrateful, selfish mother. But the little girl finds consolation and support in both her sisters and brothers and Lars Petter.