MadFish Reviews

Sans sommation (1973)

Excellent neo film noir

[9/10 · 27 September 2006]

"Sans Sommation" is one of the movies classified as neo noir -movies which started to show up after the Hollywood golden age. 70's were the time when the dark movie landed to Europe and among Francois Truffaut and Jean-Pierre Melville - just to mention a couple - some other smaller directors made their versions of the moody atmospheric stories.

Bruno Gantillon's adaption is very faithful detective story where an old detective gets a new chance as he's been stuck between a bottle and bored wife for a long time. The writing is good and Gantillon successfully finds the old dark times mixed with some political lightning. The final conclusion is almost perfect, pure genre movie.

Louisa (1946)

This is the way sequels should be made

[10/10 · 12 September 2006]

No one can question Vaino Linna's influence on Finnish movie. As it is incomparable to all other writers of the time and place, still some individuals have risen above other in the dusty line of time.

Next to Mika Waltari, Hella Wuolijoki (as he's called) can be held as one of those individuals. Wuolijoki's writings are mostly connected to Valentin Vaala as it also stands with "Loviisa, Niskavuoren nuori emanta".

Loviisa is an unofficial sequel to "Niskavuoren naiset" (1938) which was a real way-point of melodramatic movie-making in Nordic darkness. Actually Loviisa is a prequel as it deepens it's precursors ideals and moral responsibilities.

Vaala does his work very well again and the story works perfectly. Emma Vaananen's role deserves an extra mention as it can be compared to the later version where she plays her role again 10 years later.

This is the way sequels should be made.

Minä ja mieheni morsian (1955)

The musical version of a classic farce

[7/10 · 8 August 2006]

The filming of "Mieheke" (1936) is this time dressed in the clothing of a musical.

Some takes speed up to cheerful singing and that suits fine for professionals of the area and the nature of the fast farce. And why it wouldn't? Valentin Vaala is using the exact same lines and the shots look just the same as 20 years ago. The new filming brings actually nothing new to the story but it still keeps the hysterical atmosphere, like last time.

I would still prefer the fist version with its great cast even if "Minä ja mieheni morsian" reaches very near the original comedy's charming characters.

Härmästä poikia kymmenen (1950)

The truth about häjyt

[10/10 · 8 August 2006]

There are some movies in the history of cinema that instead of becoming old start to glow as years go by. "Härmälästä poikia kymmenen" is definitely one of those rare occasions.

The movie is an early version about a group of crooks called "häjyt" who fallow nothing but their own law. As they won't accept to be pushed around there still is a blink of human moral in their behavior. It's interesting how the two identical ways of thinking make a conflict as they are planted in totally different characters - the law-abiding officer and wild Antti.

Tauno Palo is remembered forever for his role as the bad guy but also Ilmari Unho must get a big credit for his calm directing. The subject could easily be shown in the light of admiring the poor criminals as the victims of their time and place like Aleksi Mäkelä does in "Häjyt" (1999) and "Pahat Pojat" (2003). Instead Unho points how small is the difference between the good and the bad and there are no reasons to defend the ones choosing wrong.

Viikon tyttö (1946)

Heavy words in a funny shell

[10/10 · 7 August 2006]

Kersti Bergroth - or Tet as it stands also in "Vuokrasulhanen" and "Morsian Yllättää" - wrote five original stories for Valentin Vaala in the early 40's. "Viikon Tyttö" remains the last and the most memorable of Tet's writings.

Another reason for the success of those five stories is definitely the charm and energy of Lea Joutseno who plays the leading actress in all of them. As a continuation to great acting performances in Viikon Tyttö we can also admire our "Finnish Cary Grant" Tauno Palo playing the dream of all poor women.

The movie itself is a wolf in a sheep's clothing. All along it bites deep into the strict class division and laughs very openly straight towards the faces of higher class people as they "admire anything that comes from the mouth of a millionaire" like Tauno Palo puts it in the end. Still it all happens with a bright blink in the eye and no one can even think of the film being the hardest critique ever made in those times.

The Bridal Wreath (1954)

Silence of the lakes

[9/10 · 26 July 2006]

The whole production team can be proud of its work as "Morsiusseppele" comes out to be very colorful piece of romantic melodrama. Specially Hannu Leminen proves finally his value as one of classic directors in Suomi Filmi.

The script is very thin and blight but the director has pulled the very best out of the intensive scenes and the actors are also at their greatest top.

Some takes in the middle of the movie capture the fading summer so beautifully that the mind can't help flying straight to the open fields and silent lakes.

The Green Chamber of Linnais (1945)

Fine soup of genres

[6/10 · 5 June 2006]

Valentin Vaala's problem as a film maker was usually the way he mixed up many different genres in one movie. So it happens this time.

"Linnaisten vihreä kamari" could be a scary horror movie, astonishing melodrama or a biting social critique. Instead it takes a small step towards all of them and it's exciting scenes are spoiled with comedy and dramatic ones would need more backing through the storyline.

Anyway acting is great and the script holds the story amazingly well. The setting needs also a fine word as the film came out right after the WW2.

Good work tough Vaala made some better ones at the time.

Kohtalo johtaa meitä (1945)

Who said only Hollywood had decent film noir?

[9/10 · 5 June 2006]

Totally illogical story about a girl who goes to see a fortune teller and suddenly all the things heard start to come true.

The atmosphere is from the beginning very dark and all the scenes include perfect moody music. "Kohtalo johtaa meitä" keeps its classification among 100% film noir until the final happy ending spoils the perfect wholeness.

Even with its weaknesses Veikko Itkonen happens to keep the movie aesthetically so beautiful and tight among the dark alleys and rolling story that this can be held as one of the classic post war movies. And I thought only Hollywood could make film noir!

One Man's Fate (1940)

The last one of the five landmarks

[10/10 · 17 May 2006]

What a loss it was for the whole area of movie making when Nyrki Tapiovaara, maybe the most talented director ever in Finland, fell down defending his country in 1940!

Just before Tapiovaara's last days came out the last one of his five masterpieces; a strong drama called "Miehen Tie". In this film can be seen the strong influences of Sergei Eisenstein as together with Erik Blomberg they managed to make the storytelling so brilliant by using some beautiful silent shots combined with overwhelming emotions.

"Miehen Tie" is very different from its time and it can only be adored how acting is kept so cool and dark all along the way. The dialog works perfectly as the original writer of the novel, F.E. Sillanpää, adapted the work for the screen.

This is a real pearl from the old times. It's also a very important part of the history of Cinema and should be seen by everyone keen on early Soviet films.

The Apple Falls (1952)

The world of cheat

[9/10 · 22 April 2006]

Mika Waltari's influence on Finnish film can be seen almost as big as Väinö Linna's. When Linna's huge novels were translated to great spectacles, Waltari's brilliant stories got their form in a smaller, but definitely not in any worse, result.

In the beginning one can see a man walking a dog. The man is of course the writer of this movie and that's where Vaala makes us realize how he will be very faithful to his good friend's writing - and good as that! So the film fallows very much the original script and is very much a satire from Waltari more than other creators. "Omena putoaa" criticizes very smartly the world where everyone cheats everyone and morality won't be found nowhere but from books. But that's just the way it works today, so what?

Meidän poikamme (1929)

A tale about ordinary things for the folk

[5/10 · 20 April 2006]

It took a while until Erkki Karu found out what was the real interest of the public movie-goers. After 1929 when he wrote "Meidän Poikamme" it was clear what would be the future of all Finnish film among the golden years of 30's and 40's.

"Meidän Poikamme" is a simple story of men going to army. The fascination lies in its simpleness; nothing really happens but it appeals to men and women of its time by touching the ordinary issues of their lives.

The film is very naive but the main character Axel Slangus is way too cold for the part to hold up the huge length of the movie. It would have fitted much better to have it played with more humor and happy attitude.

Oi, muistatkos... (1954)

A movie that should not be seen

[1/10 · 5 April 2006]

A new factory mixes up the whole village and everyone suddenly happens to need a spouse along one's side.

When voice became a standard in a movie it made farce to rise the most popular genre straight away. As it led to many great classics still some works were totally out of the picture just trying to catch easy audience.

This Jorma Nortimo's work is definitely one of the last ones described. Scenes are totally empty and shot like a stage play. Acting is terrible. The viewer might just find funny to look at the angry father carrying a stone of irritating Marlene repeating the same lines.

Nummisuutarit (1957)

Awesome acting from Martti Kuningas

[7/10 · 4 April 2006]

The third filming of the famous play is also the first to make this story look more garish than ever - not less because of this time "Nummisuutarit" can be seen the very first time in shining colors! It was just a question of time when Suomi-Filmi's routine director Valentin Vaala, who was on the top of his career, was ordered to re-direct this tale once more. The direction and the use of music is decent (as it should be) but Vaala fails to keep up the speed it would need to roll the comic aspects through as it stands.

After all the most interesting point to look at is the work of Martti Kuningas in the leading role. The energetic character lifts this version up near it's forerunner from 1923.

The Village Shoemakers (1923)

The best adaption of a classic Aleksis Kivi -play

[10/10 · 29 March 2006]

The first and definitely the most successful adaption of Aleksis Kivi's famous play can be counted as the brightest star among Finnish silent film.

"Nummisuutarit" is a funny but tough story about the traditional Finnish (hu)man nature that needs no further explaining. Esko's character lights up all that one needs to know about the culture of its time.

How beautiful is the ending when Esko says "I'll never marry" and walks away to sit in his house with his pet piggy. In his early works Erkki Karu had really the concept of "sarcasm" in his hands!

Nuori luotsi (1927)

A story that makes you silent

[3/10 · 27 March 2006]

This totally silent remake of popular folk play is stunningly beautiful when it comes to visual issues. Young Eino Kari as cinematographer can be very proud of his first work.

Erkki Karu's direction is stable but the story really doesn't work with this early tech of movie making as the lines grow long and the scenes remain empty. Nowadays the melodrama seems way too naive to be taken seriously and can't compete with Valentin Vaala's strong and personal works which took over a decade later.

Still Erkki Karu's achievements like "Nuori luotsi" shouldn't be underrated. They did build the base for all Finnish film.

Portraits of Women (1970)

Modern piece of gold in the real spirit of 70's

[8/10 · 16 March 2006]

Jörn Donner is an interesting character in the small history of Nordic movie making. His ironic and ground-breaking "Naisenkuvia" can be seen as the big bang of 70's modern film specially in Finland.

Donner himself plays the main character, a porn film director looking for real love to capture to his new film. The plot is very ironic and self critical when it laughs at the twisted picture of romance straight in the mirror.

The movie has no actual story, its striking force is among the brilliant and realistic lines that attack against the whole social community based on the blind relationships between the two sexes. Even if the audiovisual looks are no more fascinating today the sharp scenes bite still very hard.

Eila (2003)

A shade of Frank Capra in our days

[10/10 · 16 March 2006]

A woman who has worked all her life in the same cleaning company is discharged with no proper reason among a big group of workers. The situation is difficult as she would need money to help her son who just got out of jail.

"Eila" is a glorious anthem for the strength of community as they realize to understand the mutual and realistic goals of justice in the tough world of business. The viewer can also focus on the kind mother's individual growth who refuses to be pushed around no more.

Jarno Lampela sticks to be the very professional director of the day with this movie which would even make old Frank Capra smile.

Mieheke (1936)

No wife without a man

[8/10 · 6 March 2006]

After the good success of "Vaimoke" (1936) Valentin Vaala decided to order a complete script for screen from its writer Hilja Valtonen. Instead of Ansa Ikonen the leading role went to a new star Tuulikki Paananen who even managed to get to Hollywood one day.

The idea is about the same as last time when our girl has to pretend a marriage with the first man she meets to keep her job. Temperamental Paananen does her job well and so do the others. In the end the tempo speeds up even near the classic screw-balls of the era.

Though Vaalas directing is somewhat clumsy "Mieheke" is still definitely a great piece of face comedy.

Nuori mylläri (1958)

Bright folk tale

[7/10 · 2 March 2006]

Once again the atmosphere of pure joy and happiness totally takes the viewer in this story based on a folk play from 1912.

The raising star Martti Kuningas makes a good work as he plays a young miller who comes back to his old home and charms literally all the women in the village. The bright summer opens this funny story and surprisingly keeps its positive energy as the romantic tale gets closer to the final mess-up.

It's sad that the potential script wasn't made to a family movie because it really would have fitted in (and those are quite rare anyway)! Maybe a remake will come one day...

Vaimoke (1936)

Palo, Ikonen and Vaala won't let you down

[8/10 · 2 March 2006]

"Kaikki Rakastavat" (1935) was so successful with the leading couple Ansa Ikonen and Tauno Palo that when Valentin Vaala had a new script to direct - based on already popular novel by Hilja Valtonen - there was no lack of clarity who would be playing the leading parts.

"Vaimoke" is an excellent example of movie making at the time. As the hard times were just to come the main genre became romantic farce and it kept its position all along till our time. Even though this happy comedy isn't the most aggressive type like the clearest masterpieces it's really enjoyable to see the good work of the most celebrated movie figures ever in Finland. Even the smaller parts are full of stars to come!

Rikas tyttö (1939)

Empty green comedy

[2/10 · 26 February 2006]

Poor script, overdone acting and uneven directing won't hold together for a moment in this aged comedy.

"Rikas tyttö" includes way too serious characters to be a warm comedy and is simply not strong enough to be seen as a decent satire about the class differences. The first part is very slow and stolid and the rest of the film seems to be shot with such a hurry and exaggerated cheeriness that the wholeness seems very underdone.

Still there is a reason to see this work; unfortunately an accident caused the promising 19-year-old lead actress Sirkka Sari's death and so "Rikas tyttö" will be remembered as her last appearance on screen after only three long movies.

Maaret - tunturien tyttö (1947)

Beautiful mess

[4/10 · 21 February 2006]

A doctor encouraged by the death of his son leaves his wife and former life to start again in Lapland.

Many early Finnish films had great scripts but somehow only few finally managed to become as great movies. "Maarit - tunturien tyttö" is no exception. Lapland offers beautiful surroundings for a slow and dark tragedy but Valentin Vaala winds the melodrama so fast that the concept goes totally waste.

Visually the film is beautiful - as it should be - but the use of music is so disturbing that it really makes angry how it kills the silent and calm atmosphere. One just can't imagine how the masterpiece "Ihmiset suviyössä" came after this one.

Ihmiset suviyössä (1948)

When the time stands still

[10/10 · 31 January 2006]

It starts in the evening, evening turns into night and after all 66 minutes the morning breaks in. Along those hours love finds another while someone is left alone; death is faced with human understanding and new life is welcomed with the greatest joy but the sun never goes down.

Nobel-winning writer F.E. Sillanpää's poetic tale is so tight that you won't believe it's over when THE END flashes onto screen. One can easily sense the smell of plains and the touch of a light wind in the night-less night of continuous life.

A genuine landmark of Finnish movie.

Juha (1937)

The brilliant first-born

[10/10 · 29 January 2006]

Juha and Marja are living together until young Shemeikka shows up, tempts Marja and together they escape leaving Juha alone to his cottage.

The first filming of Juhani Aho's classic novel is told with the greatest emotion. There are only few lines but the silence speaks more than enough. Specially the slow scenes in the end make feelings boil.

"Juha" is a study of weak human nature; in the story every character is guilty of something. Nyrki Tapiovaara's handling is so strong that one can't believe this really is his first piece of work. Aki Kaurismäki's modern silent version from 1999 is also very interesting.

Gabriel, tule takaisin (1951)

The fair scam of 50's

[10/10 · 26 January 2006]

"Gabriel, tule takaisin" is a dark comedy about Gabriel Vihervuori, a handsome young man who cheats tender women by first charming them and then getting their money.

The movie tells the story so ruthlessly that one can't nothing but admire the way the conservative and well-wishing people are seduced. Finally even they are ready to give up their virtue and principles to get a little taste of forbidden love. Gabriel's scam is no more a scam, it's a deal where he sells himself to dreams that lack some true feelings.

This Mika Waltari's play turned out to be the jackpot of Valentin Vaala's career.