Huhtikuu on kuukausista julmin / April is the Cruellest of Months

Suvi-Marja Korvenheimo (Anssi Mänttäri): Huhtikuu on kuukausista julmin / April is the Cruellest of Months (FI 1983).

April är grymmast av månader.
    FI 1983. PC: Reppufilmi. P: Anssi Mänttäri.
    D+SC: Suvi-Marja Korvenheimo (= Mänttäri). Ass. D+co-DP: Heikki Katajisto. DP: Eero Salmenhaara. Theme song: J. Karjalainen. M also: Erik Satie, P.I. Tchaikovsky.
    C: Antti Litja (Olli), Markku Toikka (Unto), Marianne Anttila (Sari Helkama), Paavo Piskonen (Leevi), Liisa Halonen (Raija), Olli Tuominen (critic Veiviäinen), Mikko Majanlahti (artist professor Mikkonen), Aki Kaurismäki (Ville Alfa), Lauri Kanerva (provincial author Maaselkä), Rea Mauranen (woman expressing grief), Jone Takamäki (policeman), Päivi Istala (radio journalist).
    74 min.
    Viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 12 September 2008.

In the presence of Anssi Mänttäri, Heikki Katajisto, Paavo Piskonen, Päivi Istala.

AM, HK: The annoying visual look was based on Eero Salmenhaara overdoing his concept of a soft lens, distancing himself from naturalism.

AM: there were no makings for a trilogy in the Suvi-Marja Korvenheimo films.

AM: The director of Naisasialiitto Unioni (League of Finnish Feminists) was reportedly delighted by the vision of the "woman director": "when a woman gets a chance to make a film we can finally see what pigs men are".

AA: A parody of Helsinki cultural circles, some of the characters with obvious models. Olli is based on Hannu Salama, Leevi on Leo Lindsten, and Mikkonen on Mikko Niskanen. I could not help laughing at the juicy performance of Mikko Majanlahti as Mikkonen. The film got a good laughing response.

In the final scene on the deserted beach Ville Alfa (Aki Kaurismäki) asks about the secret of success from the alcoholic pig Olli (Antti Litja). The answer: "Booze and short sentences".