Utvandrarna (1971)

Director:

Jan Troell

Writers:

Bengt Forslund (writer)
Vilhelm Moberg (novels)

Release Date:

8 March 1971 (Sweden)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

a new land...a new hope...a new dream

Plot:

In the middle of the 19th century, Kristina and Karl-Oskar live in a small rural village in Smaaland (southern Sweden)...

Plot Keywords:

19th Century | Emigrant | Emigration | Religious Intolerance | 1850s

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 6 wins

Cast

Max von Sydow	...	Karl Oskar
Liv Ullmann	...	Kristina
Eddie Axberg	...	Robert Nilsson
Sven-Olof Bern	...	Nils
Aina Alfredsson	...	Marta
Allan Edwall	...	Danjel
Monica Zetterlund	...	Ulrika
Pierre Lindstedt	...	Arvid
Hans Alfredson	...	Jonas Petter
Ulla Smidje	...	Danjel's wife
Eva-Lena Zetterlund	...	Elin, Ulrika's daughter
Gustaf Färingborg	...	The Vicar
Åke Fridell	...	Aron
Agneta Prytz	...	Fina Kajsa
Halvar Björk	...	Anders

Also Known As:

The Emigrants (USA)

Runtime:

191 min | Germany:182 min | USA:151 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | Norway:12 (1972) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Trivia:

Jan Troell and Wilhelm Moberg had a disagreement whether the actors should use dialects. Troell wanted all actors to speak Småländska (the dialect spoken in county Småland where the story takes place) while Moberg wanted no dialects. As a compromise Karl-Oskar and Kristina speak with a dialect while many of the others such as Robert and Arvid only speak with a very light accent.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: On the train west a character shows an American silver coin and yells out it has "In God We Trust" on it. The scene is the 1850s and the motto was not added to American silver coins until 1867.

Quotes:

Kristina: Karl Oskar, I have to tell you something. I'm that way yet again.
Karl Oskar: Oh? It couldn't have been any more untimely and unsuited.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Nybyggarna (1972)

if you should have the luck of stumbling onto this film at a rental shop, thank Fellini's ghost - grasp it and head for the check out.

Jan Troell, has truly captured the feeling of what inspires people to emigrate and the subsequent hardships that await in the land of hope. True masters of the craft, Sydow and Ullmann, are superb in their performances. They truly pull you into the time, the frame of mind and thus make you feel like you are sharing their voyage. A great film that is everything a film should be - moving. It is a mystery why this film did not win an Oscar for best foreign picture, best actress and best actor - though with all fairness, with both Caberet and The Godfather in the running, it would have required a miracle. If you should have the luck of stumbling onto this film at a rental shop, thank Fellini's ghost - grasp it and head for the check out.