A Summer Tale (2000)
"Den bästa sommaren" (original title)

Two kids move in with a lonely undertaker who is secretly in love with the town's school teacher.

Director:

Ulf Malmros

Writers:

Ulf Malmros, Vasa

Stars:

Kjell Bergqvist, Anastasios Soulis, Rebecca Scheja

6 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Kjell Bergqvist	...	Yngve Johansson
Anastasios Soulis	...	Mårten
Rebecca Scheja	...	Annika
Cecilia Nilsson	...	Miss Svanström
Brasse Brännström	...	Sven
Marcus Hasselborg	...	Harald
Gachugo Makini	...	Jacques
Göran Thorell	...	Erik Olsson
Ann Petrén	...	Ljungström
Pale Olofsson	...	Head Waiter
Anna Kristina Kallin	...	Nurse
Ralph Carlsson	...	Priest
Jerker Fahlström	...	Messenger
Johan Holmberg	...	Policeman

Storyline

The summer of '58, the year Sweden almost won the world championship in soccer over Brazil, Yngve Johansson accepts two children to live with him during the summer, as told through the eyes of a young boy. His name is Mårten, and the other child's name is Annika. She is a rough girl, with many problems. The three of them do not get along, and Yngve is a true dictator to the children's eyes. However, when the children discover that their new guardian has a crush on their teacher (Cecilia Nilsson), they do what they can to bring the two together. Soon enough, the three will discover that they have a lot more in common than they previously imagined, and together they can make their lives worth living again. This is a sweet story about life in Sweden in the mid 1900's. It is about family, love, hate, innocent friendship that we all can relate to, and much, much more. The movie invites laughter as well as tears, and the actors, both the young and the old, are very talented and the best ...

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Plot Keywords:

teacher | summer | undertaker | fine dining | tattoo | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Romance

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Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish English

Release Date:

8 March 2000 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

A Summer Tale

Filming Locations:

Björkås herrgård, Vargön, Västra Götalands län, Sweden

Company Credits

Production Co:

Memfis Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Yngve Johansson: [going back and forth over a speed bump with the herse] Well, kids, wasn't that fun? You better enjoy yourselves now, because you never know when you'll have fun next time.

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Soundtracks

"Öppna ditt fönster, släpp in lite sol"
Written by Engström / Larsson
Performed by Cecilia Nilsson
Courtesy of Warner/Chappell Music Scandinavia, AB

User Reviews

Very average film, not at all an excellent piece of work

I will have to disagree with the previous critiques here. I found this to be a very average movie, unfocused characters (though 3D most of the time) with odd twists in the plot and completely dumb ending, that doesn't make sense anywhere, let alone Sweden (and I refer to the summer-daddy picking up the kids from the hands of the police without anyone running after him).

The entire set of relationships in this movie has been seen before and is not really interesting. The "romantic" couple is an old-fashioned, ugly and clumsy couple that we suppose to feel something for, and I didn't. The kids are OK, but I think that the French "Le Grand chemin" (1987), that pretty much tackled the same story line, but with far better performances between the lead kids. And how exactly do kids get the stuff to tattoo themselves while being hospitalized?! I was shocked at the silliness of that scene.

Skip it, a very minor attempt.