O'Horten (2007)

A drama focused on a life-changing moment in 67-year-old train engineer Odd Horten's existence: the evening of his retirement.

Director:

Bent Hamer

Writers:

Bent Hamer, Harold Manning (french adaptation)

Stars:

Baard Owe, Espen Skjønberg, Ghita Nørby

8 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Baard Owe	...	Odd Horten (as Bård Owe)
Espen Skjønberg	...	Trygve Sissener
Ghita Nørby	...	Fru Thøgersen
Henny Moan	...	Svea
Bjørn Floberg	...	Flo
Kai Remlow	...	Steiner Sissener (as Kai Remlov)
Per Jansen	...	Lokfører
Bjarte Hjelmeland	...	Konduktør
Gard B. Eidsvold	...	Stinesen
Bjørn Jenseg	...	Valkyrijen kelner
Morten Rudå	...	Röhmer
Lars Øyno	...	Connery
Trond-Viggo Torgersen	...	Opsahl
Terje Alsvik Walløe	...	Man på pissoar
Peder Anders Lohne Hamer	...	Nordahl

Storyline

A picaresque tale. Odd Horton is dependable and contained: he's a train engineer retiring after 40 years of service, living a simple life. His idea of adventure is to fly from one city in Norway to another. Starting on the night of his retirement dinner, Odd has a series of dislocating experiences: a boy insists that Odd sit by his bedside while he falls asleep; misadventure causes Odd to miss his last run; he witnesses an arrest; he assists an old man and makes a friend; he takes a trip with a blindfolded driver; he adopts a dog; he takes stock late one night at the roundhouse; he revisits his mother's disappointment in him. How should he live the rest of his life?

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Plot Keywords:

retirement | mother son relationship | sleep over | ski jumping | blind driver | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Océan Films [France] Official site [Japan]

Country:

Norway Germany France Denmark

Language:

Norwegian

Release Date:

26 December 2007 (Norway)

Also Known As:

O'Horten

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$33,325 (USA) (22 May 2009)

Gross:

$301,902 (USA) (9 October 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bulbul Films, Pandora Filmproduktion, ZDF/Arte

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Norway's official submission to the foreign language Oscar.

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Crazy Credits

To my mother, and all other female ski jumpers

User Reviews

Cold Film about Retirement

In Norway, the sixty-seven year-old train machinist Odd Horten (Bård Owe) retires after forty years of service. He receives a silver locomotive from his colleagues in a dinner party and loses his last trip. After the retirement, the plain Horten seems to be lost and wanders through Oslo, where he helps Trygve Sissener (Espen Skjønberg) and they become friends. When Trygve invites him to take a ride in his car, the driver dies and Horten takes his dog Molly and his pair of skies. Horten has never worn a pair of skies and he tries for the first time. Later he travels with Molly and meets his old friend Svea (Henny Moan).

"O' Horten" is a cold film about retirement in Norway. The story is weird and the behavior of the characters is strange for a Brazilian. When the cooker is arrested in the restaurant, nobody moves from their tables. When Mr. Horten forgets his silver train at the room, his colleagues send it by mail. These cold relationships are really unusual in my tropical country. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Caro Sr. Horten"("Dear Mr. Horten")