The Copenhagen hypnosis murders were a double-murder case in connection with a failed bank robbery that happened in Denmark on 29 March 1951.
Bjørn Schouw Nielsen and Palle Hardrup had previously shared the same cell at Horsens State Prison, where they had served sentences for treason after World War II.
Paul Reiter had been researching the use of hypnosis for criminal activity for years and believed that it was possible to hypnotize another person to commit crimes.
Reiter has authored numerous publications on the subject, including Antisocial or criminal acts and hypnosis: a case study.
[3] After an extensive set of legal proceedings that ended eventually in 1955, Palle Hardrup was sentenced to be imprisoned indefinitely at the Institution of Herstedvester.
The Danish Supreme Court upheld Bjørn Schouw Nielsen's sentence to life imprisonment, and declined to reopen the case.
At the time of the Supreme Court's decision, the Danish Medico-Legal Council had stated that they were unable either to confirm or dispute Reiter's theory.
The movie was an international co-production, shot in Denmark and Croatia, and stars Pilou Asbæk, Josh Lucas, Rade Šerbedžija, Cyron Melville and Sara Soulié.