Pippi on the Run (1970)

Fed up with their strict parents, Tommy and Annika run away from home, with their friend Pippi Longstocking to look after them in their long trek.

Director:

Olle Hellbom

Writers:

Astrid Lindgren (novel), Astrid Lindgren (screenplay)

Stars:

Inger Nilsson, Maria Persson, Pär Sundberg

Cast

Cast overview:
Inger Nilsson	...	Pippi Långstrump
Maria Persson	...	Annika
Pär Sundberg	...	Tommy
Hans Alfredson	...	Konrad
Benno Sterzenbach	...	Policeman
Öllegård Wellton	...	Annika's Mother
Walter Richter	...	Sulky Farmer
Fredrik Ohlsson	...	Annika's Father
Kurt Zips	...	Angry Man

Storyline

Siblings Tommy and Annika Settergren have fun with their friend Pippi Longstocking at her house Villa Villekulla, until they lose track of time and are greeted at home by their bossy parents, who address them before they angrily run off to bed. Pippi joins the family at breakfast the following morning, when Tommy and Annika, asked by their family to cut the weeds off their strawberry patch, are fed up with not having fun, so they bitterly decide to run away from home. Feeling that their two children might be serious about this, the Settergrens send Pippi to look after them. Pippi, Tommy, and Annika disembark on a long and rigorous trek away from home, during which they befriend an eccentric peddler named Konrad, travel from town to town, ride on top of a train, ride a flying car, and other fun adventures. But the harsher their journey gets, Tommy and Annika eventually learn that they had it a lot better back at home after all...

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Plot Keywords:

pippi | flying car | train | children | redheaded girl | 

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Taglines:

Pippi Longstocking's Newest, Most Hilarious Adventure!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

Sweden West Germany

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pippi on the Run

Filming Locations:

Klinttorget, Visby, Gotlands län, Sweden

Company Credits

Production Co:

Iduna Film Produktiongesellschaft, Nord Art, Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hans Alfredson (who played Konrad the Peddler in this film) and his "Hasseåtage" comedy troupe partner Tage Danielsson were originally slated to play the policemen Kling and Klang in the Pippi Longstocking (1969) TV series.

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Crazy Credits

In the 4-part German TV version, "With Pippi Longstocking on the Roll" ("Mit Pippi Langstrumpf auf der Walze"), the opening credits are almost the same as the credits for the German theatrical movie version (credits next to child-like drawings on a colorful background, only these are static and dissolve from one picture to the next, as opposed to moving around, as in the movie). The ending credits for all four parts uses the opening credits sequence of the original Swedish version (Pippi riding on Lilla Gubben in the sunset). The song "Hey, Pippi Longstocking" (the German version of "Here Comes Pippi Longstocking") plays in the opening credits of all four parts, and in the ending credits of all but Part 4, which plays the sad song "Goodbye, Pippi Longstocking" ("Auf Wiedersehen Pippi Langstrumpf" - the German rearrangement of "Goodbye, Little Pippi, Goodbye" from Episode 13 of the Swedish TV series). The concluding episode, "Part 4," is actually called "Last Part: Farewell to Pippi" ("Letzter Teil: Abschied von Pippi") in both the opening and ending credits, and aptly so, as this was the series finale in the German version.

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Alternate Versions

There are two different versions of the opening credits in the US version:

• Just as in the original Swedish version, a shot of Pippi riding Lilla Gubben (her horse) against a beautiful sunset opens the film, accompanied by the sentimental cowboy-style instrumental arrangement of "Sommarsången" ("Summer Song," the film's theme song). We then cut to the scene of Tommy and Annika entering Villa Villekula, looking for Pippi, and only find Mr. Nilsson in bed. Tommy attempts to bake biscuits, while Annika helps him. Just then, the opening credits, over montage shots of Pippi riding on Lilla Gubben against the sunset, begin. In the Swedish version of the credits, the aforementioned arrangement of "Sommarsången" continues, in full rhythm with soft bongo percussions. In the US version, this track is replaced with an instrumental arrangement of the Pippi Longstocking theme song, "Här Kommer Pippi Långstrump" ("Here Comes Pippi Longstocking").
• The other version simply begins with the scene of Tommy and Annika entering Villa Villekula. The original credits are replaced with cute child-like drawings of Pippi Longstocking (the same drawings seen in the US version opening credits of Pippi Goes on Board), with the same instrumental arrangement of "Här Kommer Pippi Långstrump" as before.

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Connections

Follows Pippi Goes on Board (1969)

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Soundtracks

Hey, Pippi Langstrumpf!
("Hey, Pippi Longstocking")
Main Title Theme - German Version (Also closing theme in TV Version Parts 1-3)
Based upon "Här Kommer Pippi Långstrump" ("Here Comes Pippi Longstocking")
Composed by Jan Johansson (original) and Konrad Elfers
Lyrics by Astrid Lindgren (original), Wolfgang Franke, and Helmut Harun
Performed by Eva Mattes

User Reviews

A classic of children's cinema

Truly without any shadow of a doubt a masterpiece of children's cinema. Totally different from US or European cinema: there is no play to the emotions here. It is simply who and what Pippi is: and it is deeply enthralling to children.

We have three children who all LOVE watching these. They are not clever, or brilliantly filmed, have no CGI whatsoever and yet they come back to them again and again and again.

For a child what can be more exciting to have a friend who doesn't need adults, is generous, fun, mischievous, silly, has fantastic adventures, AND is the strongest (yes! strongest!) girl in the world.

This series shaped a generation of Swedes: it is truly is one of the best of all children's cinema. Adults may not get it as much as their children will. Best for those around 3-7 you will be amazed at what they see that we no longer do. Hurrah for Pippi!