Sensuela (1973)

Director:

Teuvo Tulio

Writers:

Regina Linnanheimo, Yrjö Norta,

Stars:

Marianne Mardi, Mauritz Åkerman, Ismo Saario

Cast

Credited cast:
Marianne Mardi	...	Laila Walk
Mauritz Åkerman	...	Hans Müller
Ismo Saario	...	Pekka
Ossi Elstelä	...	Aslak Walk
Maria Pertamo	...	Greta Kujala
Armas Ek	...	Sami
Aimo Paapio	...	Sea Captain
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marjatta Happonen	...	Valehäiden vieras
Eila Hartikainen	...	Lapin kylän nuorisoa
Julius Heikkilä	...	Väkeä Hansin juhlissa
Heikki Huopainen	...	Valehäiden vieras
Matias Ikävalko	...	Väkeä Hansin juhlissa
Markku Jokio	...	Hans Müller (voice)
Jukka Kankaantähti	...	Lapin kylän nuorisoa
Jorma Kylander	...	Vastaanottovirkailija

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

women in society | female nudity | innocence | nazi | sex | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

Finland

Language:

Finnish

Release Date:

29 May 1973 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Aslakin tytär

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Teuvo Tulio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min 109 min (uncut) 105 min (cut)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The voice of Ossi Elstelä (who died in 1969) was dubbed by Uolevi Vahteristo

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Goofs

The first encounter of Laila & Hans must have been in early 1945. After the war they fly to Helsinki with a DC8, which entered Finnair service only in 1969. At least 25 years must have passed but Leila & Hans haven't aged a bit.

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Quotes

Laila Walk: [referring to herself as a whore] Here I am, just the way you wanted me.

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Connections

Referenced in Paluu Sodankylään (2011)

User Reviews

A psychedelic feminist statement

Calling this movie the worst in Finnish movie history is a serious misjudgment. Teuvo Tulio's final work was marred by financial troubles, but his story about an innocent Lapland girl turning prostitute is a feast of surreal plot, almost psychedelic colors and over-Brechtian amateur acting. There are some obvious cultural mistakes: for example, in the first scenes Laila, the Lapland girl, is actually wearing men's clothes. These mistakes, however, do not spoil the film as visually it is almost over-stylized.

Sometimes the movie has been called soft porn, but actually it conveys a direct feminist message and works as a critique of objectivation of women. At the same time Laila is shown as an active, not a passive, character. Tulio has also included some intertextual references to his earlier movies, creating a hybrid that constantly walks the line between art, irony and feminist commentary. It's a shame that lack of finances came in the way of Tulio's vision.