Under solen (1998)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Colin Nutley

Writers:

H.E. Bates (novel)
Johanna Hald (writer)

Release Date:

25 December 1998 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Årets stora julfilm!

Plot:

Olof lives alone on his family's farm after the death of his mother. Unable to read and write, he is dependent on his younger friend...

Plot Keywords:

Housekeeper | Rural | 1950s | Illiteracy | Farm Worker

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Rolf Lassgård	...	Olof
Helena Bergström	...	Ellen Lind
Johan Widerberg	...	Erik Jonsson
Gunilla Röör	...	Newspaper Receptionist
Jonas Falk	...	Preacher
Linda Ulvaeus	...	Lena
Bergljót Arnadóttir	...	Shop assistant
Per Sandberg	...	Undertaker
Rikard Wolff	...	Narrator (voice)

Also Known As:

Under the Sun (Europe: English title)

Runtime:

130 min | Argentina:120 min | Japan:118 min | Taiwan:118 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:18 | Taiwan:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Colombia:18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Peru:14 | Singapore:R(A) | Sweden:7

Filming Locations:

Trollhättan, Västra Götalands län, Sweden

Company:

Film i Väst

Behaglig berättelse

H.E. Bates' story `The Little Farm' on which `Under Solen' is based, was screened in a shortened version way back in the early 70s by Granada TV. The fact that this is not exactly one of his better known stories made it all the more surprising when it appeared as `Under Solen' in a full-length film miraculously transported to rural Sweden in the 1950s, and directed by a Brit…….. The result is charming, to say the least.

Olof, now over 40, decides he and his ramshackle farm need a young woman round the place, and so a very beautiful thirty-something Ellen walks into his life in answer to an advertisement for a housewife, much to the chagrin and scepticism of Erik, Olof's best friend. Good interpretations, though one might surmise Johan Widerberg tended to overplay his part at times; Rolf Lassgård and Helena Bergström gave pleasing performances. The photography is beautiful: all that lovely summer countryside somewhere in rural Sweden comes across very well, including heavy thunderstorms dripping through the roof of the old barn showering the happy couple's new-found passion. Wonderful to see one of those original Saabs which Erik Carlsson drove so successfully to so many victories in car rallies back in the late 50s! As well as a magnificent old bus. I could not quite make out if everyone was still driving on the left, though most certainly Olof's and Erik's cars were for driving on the right. Anybody know in which year Sweden changed from driving on the left to driving on the right, please?

My only quibble is Paddy Moloney's Celtic music seemd rather out of place in the middle of Swedish countryside. I mean, there is no lacking of indigenous folk and rural music from `Lockrop & Vallåtar' or Järna Musik och Dansfestival, Sommar-Gränna Blue Grass and Old Time, or from people like Richard Näslin and Lasse Sörlin, for example.

Nicely paced the film moves deftly from scene to scene without jarring any of the senses, with the result that this film is indeed pleasant viewing.