Börn náttúrunnar (1991)

Old Thorgeir must leave his home far off in the Icelandic 'countryside' and move into a home for senior citizens in Reykjavik. There he meets an old friend from his childhood, Stella. ... See full summary »

Director:

Friðrik Þór Friðriksson

Writers:

Friðrik Þór Friðriksson, Einar Guðmundsson

Stars:

Gísli Halldórsson, Sigríður Hagalín, Baldvin Halldórsson

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gísli Halldórsson	...	Þorgeir
Sigríður Hagalín	...	Stella
Baldvin Halldórsson	...	Varðstjóri
Björn Karlsson	...	Drunk man
Bruno Ganz	...	Engill
Bryndis Petra Bragadóttir	...	Woman in the night (as Bryndís Petra Bragadóttir)
Egill Ólafsson	...	Cop
Eiríkur Guðmundsson	...	Línumaður
Guðbrandur Gíslason	...	Director
Hafliði Magnússon	...	Foreman
Hallmar Sigurðsson	...	Þorlákur
Hallur Hallsson	...	News Man
Karl Jónatansson	...	Harmonikkuleikari
Jóhann Sigurðsson	...	Lögregluþjónn
Jón Ólafsson	...	Singer

Storyline

Old Thorgeir must leave his home far off in the Icelandic 'countryside' and move into a home for senior citizens in Reykjavik. There he meets an old friend from his childhood, Stella. Thorgeir soon becomes unhappy living there and together with Stella he steals a jeep. Together they leave the city for Stella's old home in northwestern Iceland. A drama who asks us: how important is it to have a long life if you have to leave everything that has a meaning for you?

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Plot Keywords:

icelandic | jeep | iceland | friend | hayloft | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes a first love becomes a last love

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

Germany Iceland Norway

Language:

Icelandic English

Release Date:

1 August 1991 (Iceland)

Also Known As:

A természet gyermekei

Filming Locations:

Iceland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Icelandic Film, Metro Film, Max Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Faraway, So Close! (1993)

User Reviews

Endearing questing tale

This movie begins with Geirri leaving the family farm and moving in with his family. He's gotten to old to handle farming on his own, and his family has decided that they are more suited to life in the city. The attempt to merge into his daughter's hectic life doesn't work out and he finds himself in a nursing home, surrounded by fellow retirees - some of whom are loving the time and the freedom the home allows right alongside others who are not.

Geirri meets up with Stella, a childhood sweetheart who has decided that dying in a nursing home is something she does not want to do. So, they decide to leave together. By the dead of night they steal a car and head for the towns of their youth...

Geirri and Stella are running form the law (leaving the home without permission and, more importantly, car theft), but there is no 'Bonnie and Clyde' feeling to this story. They return to the towns they knew and remember the years together. There are spirits in their mind and spirits of the ocean who meet them along the way. You get an excellent sense of their strength, knowledge, and experience.

All in all, this movie is very touching - until the end.

I really appreciated the journey and the experiences Geirri and Stella have, but the plot twist that brings the viewer to a final scene which is (in my opinion) brutal, disturbing, and (to be frank) confusing end. Yes, Geirri running from the law, and yes, he is trying to maintain his freedom, but...the rocks and the feet...?

Confusing and jarring. There was a fascinating mystical feel to the way the movie plays itself out, and one could theorize that the ending was more symbolic than realistic. But, why throw that kind of symbolism onto the end of such a touching (and realistic) movie?

Even so, I highly recommend this movie. There's to much to be gained from the movie as a whole to allow the oddness of the ending to stop you from seeing it.