Kådisbellan (1993)

Director:

Åke Sandgren

Writers:

Åke Sandgren (writer)
Roland Schütt (book)

Release Date:

3 June 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

När man är nyfiken, uppfinningsrik och uppkäftig kan livet vara tufft... ...men det är smällar man får ta.

Plot:

Stocholm in the 1930s. Young Roland lives with his socialist father, jewish mother and a boxing brother...

Plot Keywords:

Slingshot | Boxing | Condom | Bicycle | Child Abuse

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jesper Salén	...	Roland Schütt
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Fritiof Schütt
Basia Frydman	...	Zipa Schütt
Niklas Olund	...	Bertil Schütt
Ernst-Hugo Järegård	...	Teacher Lundin
Ernst Günther	...	Principal
Axel Düberg	...	Inspector Gissle
Reine Brynolfsson	...	Hinke Berggren
Heinz Hopf	...	Skohandlare
Frida Hallgren	...	Margit
Tomas Norström	...	Boxing Trainer
Ing-Marie Carlsson	...	Karin Adamsson
Rolf Lassgård	...	Prisoner
Jurek Sawka	...	Kopowski the Orthopaedist
Tommy Johnson	...	Fabriksarbetare

Also Known As:

The Slingshot (International: English title) (USA)
Innocent Life (International: English title) (video title)
Slangebøssen (Denmark)

Runtime:

102 min | Germany:95 min

Country:

Denmark | Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Germany:6 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Nordisk Film

Trivia:

This was Sweden's 1993 submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, though it failed to secure a nomination.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Percy Tårar" (1996)

Visit Sweden - don't worry about the weather!

Kadisbellan(The Slingshot)is perhaps the best foreign film of 1993. Great story, acting, and many funny moments.

Slingshot is the touching, humorous tale of a Swedish boy in the 20's, from a socialist, jewish family, and his resolve against life's persecutions.

His persecutions include a sadistic, fascist school instructor, overbearing parents, a bully brother, the police, and the daily maturation of a boy to a young man.

How Roland handles and endures these problems is the heart of the film. His solutions are clever and sometimes humorous, but all based out of Roland's steadfast self awareness. We have all walked along the same path.

The cast is super, and each character is extremely real.

Outstanding kudos to Jespar Salen, who plays Roland. His acting and the faces he utilizes make the viewer actually feel his hurts, his inquisitiveness, and his triumphs.

A special role also played by Stellen Sarsgard, as Roland's socialist father, who pontificates daily to any in hearing range. Memorable is his visit to a Russian orthopedic specialist to end his sciatica.

There are many characters and side plots, most end as ours would, but Roland's experience with a young prostitute ends tragically.

The Slingshot gets its title from Roland's ingenuity. His mother sells forbidden condoms, and Roland absconds with some and fashions slingshots out of them for sale to classmates. The slingshot is just one of his many inventions.

Another enjoyable benefit is the quality of the film as a period piece.