Tukkijoella (1951)

Timmerflottarna / [Timber River]. FI 1951. PC: Fennada. P: Mauno Mäkelä. D: Roland af Hällström. Based on the musical play by Teuvo Pakkala and Oskar Merikanto (1899). DP: Esko Töyri. M: Oskar Merikanto (the original play) and Tapio Ilomäki (additional score). Starring Tauno Palo (Turkka), Rauni Ikäheimo (Katri Pietola), Sirkka Hirvonen (Anni), Helge Herala (Huotari), Rakel Laakso (Maija Rivakka), Kalle Viherpuu (Tolari), Lasse Pöysti (Pölhö-Kustaa), Ema Vinermo (rättäri), Anton Soini (the master of Pietola), Irja Viherpuu (Pahna-Maija), Kerttu Salmi (Poro-Pirkko), Ritva Putkonen (Lenkka-Leena), Leo Jokela (Oterma the lumberjack). 97 min. 16mm. Viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 3 June 2008. - A faulty 16mm print struck with dirt on the upper part of the gate, leaving a distracting veil on the image.
"Vielä niitä honkia humisee"
"Tukkilaisten laulu"
"Ei meitä suruilla ruokita"
"Tukkipoika se lautallansa"
"Tuulen henki, lemmenhenki" sung by Rauni Ikäheimo
"Turkan laulu"
"Tolarin laulu"
"Tukkilaisjenkka" sung by Tauno Palo
"Voi minun nuorta sydäntäni" sung by Palo, Ikäheimo
"Sun kanssasi kahden kun soudan" sung by Palo
"Hih, hih, huh, hei, meijän Maija keittää kahvit"
"Katkera on kahvia juoda ilman sokeritta" sung by Helge Herala and the girls
"Tuulan tei" sung by Palo, Ikäheimo
Oskar Merikanto is the favourite composer of the Finnish homes, where Sibelius is the favourite composer of the Finnish concert halls.
This all-time big favourite Finnish music play has been filmed three times, never very successfully, always interestingly. Hällström would have been the ideal director, but also he did a sloppy job with it. Maybe he felt the material was too obvious and familiar. Tauno Palo is not in top form, only very good. His song performances in this film are not absolutely brilliant, but still to be cherished, including the lovely duets with Rauni Ikäheimo. I would select their "Voi minun nuorta sydäntäni" and "Tuulan tei" to my Merikanto anthology.

Ylijäämänainen (16 mm print screened at Orion in 2008)

Roland af Hällström: Ylijäämänainen (FI 1951). Asta Backman (Laura Kari) and Tauno Palo (Lennart Qvist). 

Stulen kärlek / [Surplus Woman]. FI 1951. PC: Fennada. P: Mauno Mäkelä. D: Roland af Hällström. SC: Jussi Talvi. DP: Esko Töyri. M: Tapio Ilomäki. "Otshi tshorni" is the theme song. Starring Asta Backman (Laura Kari), Tauno Palo (Lennart Qvist), Kyllikki Forssell (Ella Qvist), Harri Sinijärvi (department manager Harri Suvanne). 77 min. A 16 mm print viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 21 May 2008. – Ok for 16 mm. – A poignant, satirical drama of a single woman with relevance to feminism. – Laura Kari's suicide attempt opens the life-story seen in flashback. – Tauno Palo as a ladies' man, for Laura, the great love of her life; for him, she is just one of his lovers. – She works in the Stockmann department store, sexually harassed by her department manager. – The lonely woman sees the happiness of others' families. There is a biting Mother's Day scene with the mothers' anthem "Maan päällä paikka yksi on" ("There is but one place on earth"). – Strong cinematography by Esko Töyri. – The flashback within the flashback takes us to 1939 and a montage of the war years. – Kyllikki Forssell is the frustrated wife of Tauno Palo; she takes the knowing risk of getting pregnant, with fatal results. – "Dark Eyes" is the theme song sung by Tauno Palo with a voice of velvet. – The solidarity of women at the department store. – "Welcome, aunt Laura", a sunny smile at the end of the film. The acceptance of singlehood and childlessness.

My blog entries on Ylijäämänainen

10 April 2005  Ylijäämänainen (35 mm nitrate print at Turku Festival of Finnish Film, in person: Kyllikki Forssell)

21 May 2008  Ylijäämänainen (16 mm print at Orion)

Vain kaksi tuntia

[Two Hours Only] / Från sex till åtta. FI (c) 1949 Fenno-Filmi. P: Yrjö Rannikko. D+SC: Roland af Hällström. DP: Esko Töyri. M+ED: Tapio Ilomäki. Starring: Regina Linnanheimo (senior nurse Magda), Liisa Tuomi (Mrs. Irja Kaarila), Eino Kaipainen (senior physician Kaarlo Kaarila), Leif Wager (assistant physician Alec von Wentell), Elvi Saarnio (Laila Niemikkö, a vagrant woman), Leena Häkinen (Tellervo Ritvala, a young bride), Martti Katajisto (Pelle Teiri, a young groom), Saara Ranin (nurse Varma), Kalle Viherpuu (police officer), Rauha Rentola (Mrs. Maj-Lis von Wentell). 103 min. A Digibeta (from a used film print) (alas!) presentation at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 27 Feb 2008. Two hours in the emergency room of a little town, full of drama, love and death. This is a multi-character film, but the core is the triangle drama between the frustrated wife (Liisa Tuomi), his devoted doctor-husband (Eino Kaipainen) and the consoling young assistant physician (Leif Wager). The cinematography of Esko Töyri is atmospheric, with interesting angles, camera movements and soulful close-ups of many of the main characters. A signature performance by Eino Kaipainen as the dutiful and devoted man cheated by his fickle wife. Regina Linnanheimo for once in a sober role. Liisa Tuomi gets to play the frustrated, unsatisfied lady, who has a near fatal crash overspeeding into a secret encounter in a notorious hotel. There is perhaps a bit too much excitement for two hours of supposedly real time.