Isän vanha ja uusi (1955) User Reviews

"Upper middle class family matters in 1950's Helsinki"

[RMFworks · 8/10 · 11 April 2002]

Finnish cinema's the most beloved stars: Tauno Palo and Ansa Ikonen again together, now in Matti Kassila's "Isän vanha ja uusi". A story about love and forgiveness in the 1950's Helsinki. Good upper middle class description about problems, which forms after the father of the family loves his private secretary.

Camera work is excellent; plenty of nice exterior shots in Helsinki, based mostly in Töölö location. Includes also some fine spoofs, which you will find only if you live in the capital. Cast dialog is typical for decade, - theatrical, but works!

Tauno Palo & Ansa Ikonen Finnish cinema's Errol Flynn & Olivia de Havilland, made lot's of fine pictures together since 1935 released: "Kaikki rakastavat". This is one of their last major films together but at the same time very significant, because it shows good the attitudes people in family crises.

Most for all, who thought in childhood, that society in fifties were black and white!

Ansa and Tauno divorced

[Petey-10 · 9/10 · 11 February 2009]

In 1935 Tauno Palo and Ansa Ikonen made their first ever movie together, "Kaikki rakastavat".In that one we saw this then young couple fall in love.Now, twenty years later Tauno and Ansa are divorced.In "Isän vanha ja uusi" (1955) Tauno plays Mauri Pekanpää who has a young new wife, Elisabet (Hillevi Lagerstam).He's fed up with Babs and wants Armi (Ikonen) back.A representative called Pekka Juhankoski is also interested in Armi.Mauri uses all ways to get Armi back.Matti Kassila, who turned 85 last month, is the director of this amusing comedy.The more mature Ansa and Tauno still make a wonderful couple.Their on-screen chemistry was huge even though they had no love affair in real life.This was their second last movie together.Eino Kaipainen, who also teamed with Ansa Ikonen in quite a few movies, does terrific work as Juhankoski.This actor, who did mostly serious work in movies shows some comedic skills in this one.It's most hilarious when Mauri tries to make him and Babs fall for each other by getting them drunk.Elina Pohjanpää plays Kaarina and Veli Palonen is Matti, the children of Mauri and Armi.Marjatta Kallio plays the part of Pirkko, his girlfriend.Vieno Kekkonen plays Tuula, a friend of Kaarina.Pentti Irjala is seen as Man in Restaurant.There's also Ritva Valkama in a small role.Matti Kassila won a Jussi Award for direction and Aarre Koivisto got one for best set design.This is the most enjoyable movie with Ansa and Tauno.