This movie is based on a book by danish writer M. A. Nexø and it could probably be called an early Nordic attempt at post modernism, Marxism and existentialism. It is not a coincidence, that it was made into a movie (Peller Eroberer) in East Germany the year before this movie. It also has some Dickensian traits i guess, but it is completely devoid of any kind of sentimentalism. I have not read the book(s) myself I admit, so this is my sort of base knowledge of the writer and the work in general. In the mid 1980s danish director Bille August was approached to turn this modern classic into a movie. He accepted the job, claiming it was a great idea for a great book. Little did they know, that he had to quickly run out and buy a copy, since he had never read it. "One has to wiggle, said the eel on the frying pan" (paraphrasing an old saying used in the movie).
Let me start by saying, that I m not a very big fan of August´s work in general, it is at times pathetically bad (The House of Spirits). But this is by far his best movie, even if the direction is just on the well tread path of safe epic cinematography. Still there are very nice little touches here and there and, in my book, an epic performance by Max von Sydow, who has always been one of my favorite Scandinavian actors, if not the best by far. I might add that Max is celebrating his 70th year in acting this year. What a career. He had been a household name in the business for decades when most of us were not even born. I salute you :-)
A Swedish emigrant Lasse (Max von Sydow) and his son Pelle (Pelle Hvenegaard), arrives on the small danish island of Bornholm, in the late 19 hundreds. At the landing, they can get no work, since most consider him too old and frail, and the boy too young and weak. But a last call from a farming proprietors foreman, saves them a job they have to accept as there is no other choice. This situation of "no other choice" is a recurring theme in the movie (and the book I presume) and serves as a concealed Marxist trick to make the viewer think that the protagonists are being exploited. But the exploitation is mutual, just to put things clear. Lasse did not stay in his birth town of Tommelilla, but went to exploit possibilities in the neighboring country to serve his own needs. That people in his new promised land, are not offering him a steady job on his promises alone, can hardly be blamed on them. But the plot is a study in early Marxist propaganda ... with a few little twists of existentialist reality added here and there so that the underlying agenda it is not too obvious.
Lasse does not have a strong character, unlike his son Pelle. maybe Lasse used to be more like Pelle, but years of failures has made a fugitive loser out of him, who might feel strong urges of revenge when he sits alone in his chamber or wants to portray himself as a strong father towards his son. But when the smoke comes down, he has the backbone of a worm and turns his anger inwards or even towards his innocent son. Pelle strikes a fancy to an extrovert and revolutionary soul who also, among many other, works at the farm. He has dreams of going to America, China and "negro"-land. This rouses Pelle´s urge to conquer the world, but reality will inevitably catch up with him and almost, like a divine intervention, cut him short in everything he does and make it near impossible for him to reach heaven on earth.
Those who have power over the workers are all portrayed as the slave masters of the post-slavery world. They are corrupt, hysterical, pederasts and sadists of the "free marked", who exploit the workers, the children and the women. The women are portrayed as innocent beings being exploited by the upper classes, and left to their own devices when they have become pregnant. The propaganda is rather overwhelming in this regard, and not something I remember being criticized back in the day. Instead the movie received both an Oscar and the Palm D´or in Cannes the next year .. and a plethora of other awards. One might just get the notion, that the movie business could be slightly tilted towards socialism and Marxism ... mmm!
The cinematography is generally solid throughout, but on the safe side. At times it does not hold up and at the other times I am just sort of satisfied, that he does not blow it. It does not hit me hard in an existentialist way so to say, but again, the Nordic way has always been to downplay your expression. Which I guess fits the story to some extend. Hvenegaard as the kid, does what could be expected of a child actor. He is not great but he does not blow it either, At times he looks like an upper class boy with some dirt thrown in his face. In this regard he is not that believable. At other times his expression is very good, like when he is chased over the ice by some sadistic boys. August is NOT an actors director, his strength is clearly the visuals.
Erik Paaske, danish actor, who plays the foreman, does a surprisingly good job. He is mostly famous for his more light acting and vaudeville singing on records. Here he turns it all to shame and delivers a very solid job. The catch of this movie though, is really only Max von Sydows performance. He looks, acts and feels like he just stepped of a boat from Sweden in the 1880´s. Check out the way he walks when he "disappointed" comes towards the last exit to danish heaven in the guise of the sadistic foreman on the pier. He wiggles from side to side to show that he might be something between giving up, about to faint andor half drunk. All the while he has the authentic look of a man who has been through a lot of emotional hardship and toils through the years. This he does with just the slightest adjustments of his acting... and knowing that August probably had a hard time helping the actors understand what they needed to portray, it only adds to the strength of Sydow´s acting, what he accomplishes in Pelle. He portrays Lasse´s ignorance, low self esteem and existential hardships so well with very few tricks, I must recommend this film solely based on his performance.
6/10