Laulu tulipunaisesta kukasta

Sången om den eldröda blomman / Das Lied von der feuerroten Blume / The Song of the Scarlet Flower. FI 1938. PC+D: Teuvo Tulio. Based on the novel by Johannes Linnankoski. Starring Kaarlo Oksanen (Olavi), Rakel Linnanheimo (Kyllikki), Mirjami Kuosmanen (Annikki), Nora Mäkinen (Elli), Birgit Nuotio (The Dark Girl). 110 min. English subtitles. Viewed in Filmmuseum Potsdam, 27 Jan 2005. The first Finnish film adaptation of the novel about the "Don Juan of the North", which had been filmed in Sweden twice before. It is a beautiful Nordic Bildungsroman about a man's romantic / erotic quest. There is more burning visual passion in Tulio than in the previous adaptations, and many of the actors are excellent. Stiller's version is the masterpiece, but all the others, save the last one by Niskanen, are worth seeing. Tulio's film is still one of the most popular Finnish films of all times. The director himself prevented his films being shown, and first since his death in 2000 they are being made available again. In Filmmuseum Potsdam, it's a part of a tribute including a beautiful photo exhibition. ***