The Match Factory Girl (1990) Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö (original title)

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writer:

Aki Kaurismäki

Release Date:

6 November 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Plot:

Iris has a dead-end job in a match-factory, lives with her dour and forbidding parents, and her social life is a disaster...

Plot Keywords:

One Night Stand | Revenge | Murder | Poisoned Beer | Working Woman

Awards:

8 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kati Outinen	...	Iiris
Elina Salo	...	Mother
Esko Nikkari	...	Stepfather
Vesa Vierikko	...	Aarne
Reijo Taipale	...	The singer
Silu Seppälä	...	Iiris' brother
Outi Mäenpää	...	Iiris' co-worker
Marja Packalén	...	The doctor
Richard Reitinger	...	Man in the bar
Helka Viljanen	...	Office employee (as Helga Viljanen)
Kurt Siilas	...	Policeman
Ismo Keinänen	...	Policeman
Klaus Heydemann	...	Worker
Erkki Friman	...	Member of dance band
Tapani Ikonen	...	Member of dance band
Jari Lappalainen	...	Member of dance band
Lasse Luoto	...	Member of dance band

Directed by
Aki Kaurismäki

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Aki Kaurismäki

Produced by
Katinka Faragó	....	producer (as Katinka Farago)
Aki Kaurismäki	....	producer
Klas Olofsson	....	producer

Cinematography by
Timo Salminen

Film Editing by
Aki Kaurismäki

Art Direction by
Risto Karhula

Set Decoration by
Kari Laine

Production Management
Klaus Heydemann	....	production manager
Jaakko Talaskivi	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pauli Pentti	....	assistant director

Art Department
Heikki Ukkonen	....	property master

Sound Department
Tom Forsström	....	sound mixer
Juuso Hirvikangas	....	assistant sound recordist
Nina Jansson	....	sound synchronisation
Jouko Lumme	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Marja-Leena Helin	....	still photographer
Börje Hellen	....	assistant camera (as Börje Hellén)
Olavi Tuomi	....	lighting technician
Pekka Uotila	....	assistant camera
Olli Varja	....	lighting technician

Editorial Department
Eila Karkkunen	....	negative cutter (as Eila Karttunen)

Music Department
Erkki Friman	....	musician
Tapani Ikonen	....	musician
Jari Lappalainen	....	musician
Lasse Luoto	....	musician

Other crew
Haije Alanoja	....	production secretary
Erkki Astala	....	publicist
Marja-Leena Helin	....	script supervisor
M. Laaksonen	....	title designer
Pirjo Laivuori	....	color definitions
Jan-Eric Nyström	....	title designer (as J-E Nyström)
Jaana Puhakka	....	production assistant
Sinikka Usvamaa	....	accountant (as Sinikka Telaranta)

Thanks
Willmar Andersson	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Esselte Video
• Finnkino
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)
• Villealfa Filmproduction Oy

Distributors

• Finnkino (Finland) (theatrical)
• Pyramide Distribution (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Al!ve AG (2007) (Germany) (DVD) (Aki Kaurismäki Collection I)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Eclipse from the Criterion Collection (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Future Film (2013) (Finland) (DVD)
• Kino International (1992) (USA) (subtitled)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Finn-Match Oy  thanks
• Oy Sinebrychoff AB  thanks
• SES Film Sound Oy  sound mixing

Also Known As:

"Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" - Finland (original title)

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

Finland | Sweden

Language:

Finnish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | Iceland:L | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Esselte Video

Quotes:

[first lines]
Iiris:Half pint, please!

Movie Connections:

Features Room Service (1938)

Soundtrack:

Call Your Lawyer

Life will never seem as bad again

Kaurismaki is nothing if not an efficient director. The stylistic elements of 'The Match Factory Girl' are distilled, like the vodka that is drunk throughout, to produce an intense and disturbing effect. Much of the action goes on outside the characteristically static camera frame, and Kati Outinen's deadpan face conveys a correspondingly broad range of expressions (she is excellent at signalling imminent vomiting without appearing to twitch a muscle). It's a film that moves on and out with the minimum of movement and dialogue, and its downwards pull is mesmerising. It's also bitterly funny. Late in the film the main character, Iris, approaches the shop counter and asks for a bottle of rat poison, to which the reply is: 'Small or large?'

I was fairly low when I saw this film. I came out feeling marvellous. Another triumph for the relief to be found in misery, a paradox which Kaurismaki cheerfully exploits in his dark, tragic & hilarious films.