Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Paimen, piika ja emäntä / [Katri, Girl of the Meadows]

Vi kämpa för fädernesgården / [Kleine standhafte Katri] / [Makiba no shouji Katori]. FI 1938. PC: Väinän Filmi. P: Väinö Mäkelä. D+ED: Roland af Hällström. SC: based on the novels by Auni Nuolivaara: Paimen, piika ja emäntä (1936) and Isäntä ja emäntä (1937). DP: Olavi Gunnari. PD: Lasse Elo. M: Alvar Andström. LOC: Orivesi. Starring: Martta Kontula (Ukonniemen Katri), Kaarlo Kytö (Ruuhiniemen Santeri), Kosti Elo (Vaakerlunti), Aili Tikka (Ukonniemen Leena, Katri's sister), Elna Hellman (the old mistress of Ruuhiniemi), Vappu Elo (Veikkolan Annastiina), Eino Haavisto (Rantalan Juuso), Hemmo Airamo (Ruuhiniemen Iivari), Eero Leväluoma (the merchant Ephraim Tervola), Eero Roine (Wahlgren). A low-contrast Betacam SP from worn source material. Viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 23 Jan 2008. A strong woman's story, which starts in the novel in the year 1852 but in the film in the beginning of the 20th century. The novels (successful also in Germany and Japan) had an important role in the development of the figure of the strong, independent woman in Finnish fiction. They tell the story of the maid of strong character who saves the big house. Martta Kontula carries the role of Ukonniemen Katri well. She belongs to the tradition of Selma Lagerlöf, and, in Finland, also the writer of popular entertainment, Hilja Valtonen. The landscapes of Orivesi are beautiful, the work montage sequences seem authentic. The only film produced by Väinän Filmi. There is a 49-episode anime series based on the novels (1984).
http://koti.phnet.fi/otaku/reviews/katori/katori.htm

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