Nuoruus sumussa

A-02197 / 16 / FI / 1946 / Särkkä, Toivo / drama

Nuoruus sumussa / Youth In Fog. PC: Suomen Filmiteollisuus (SF). P: T.J. Särkkä. D: Toivo Särkkä. SC: Toini Aaltonen. CAST: Leif Wager, Topi Ruuth, Hannes Häyrinen, Kirsti Hurme, Marjatta Uski, Toini Vartiainen. 117’. B&w. Beautiful archival safety print. Viewed at SEA, Cinema Orion, Helsinki, Wednesday, 17 September 1997. BOMB. The war ends. Three young veterans return from the front to Helsinki. They immediately face the perils of love-hungry women, drink and crime. Heavy-handedly directed the actors are often reduced to overblown gesticulating and eyeball-rolling. The dialogue is lifeless; there is no cinematic rhythm, imagery, or style. Miraculously, the film still conveys a sense of fun. It is all part of the SF house style, of the warmth of its great ensemble, which even a small child can feel. Leif Wager does a fine job as the veteran who is neglected by his parents and who during his escapades contracts syphilis. The wordless sequence where he realizes this is the highlight of the picture. Hannes Häyrinen is also a saving grace with his humoristic portrayal.