"Utvandrarna" ("The Emigrants") is the first of two films, the follow-up being "The New Land". Incidentally, I saw them in reverse order. Regardless, the film was extremely well thought of in the day, as it was nominated both for Best Foreign Language AND Best Picture Oscars...though it won neither. Oddly, it was nominated for 1972 (Best Foreign Language) AND 1973 (Best Picture)....and I have no idea how this happened.
"The Emigrants" is a very stark and deliberate film about a hardworking but very poor family that eventually imigrates to America. There is no music at the film's beginning and darn little music throughout. I think that and the pacing were done deliberately in order to emphasize the starkness and blandness of life in rural Sweden in 1844. You see that the folks are simple and their lives hellishly awful...and you see a lot of this awfulness and understand for many at that time period that WAS life. This makes for a wonderful historical and educational film...though NOT a cinematic or especially enjoyable one. Watch it for the quality of the acting and production and history...not because it will make you happy! So, if you are depressed...try another film instead.
"The Emigrants" is a very stark and deliberate film about a hardworking but very poor family that eventually imigrates to America. There is no music at the film's beginning and darn little music throughout. I think that and the pacing were done deliberately in order to emphasize the starkness and blandness of life in rural Sweden in 1844. You see that the folks are simple and their lives hellishly awful...and you see a lot of this awfulness and understand for many at that time period that WAS life. This makes for a wonderful historical and educational film...though NOT a cinematic or especially enjoyable one. Watch it for the quality of the acting and production and history...not because it will make you happy! So, if you are depressed...try another film instead.