Customer Reviews

Under the Sun (Under Solen)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A wonderful, heart-warming story about an aging, simple-minded farmer who has never known love, and the woman he meets when he decides that if he doesn't try it once, he might never know love at all....

The actors are uniformly sweet and engaging, and the story plays itself out slowly and calmly. This is a little Swedish vacation, into the past and the countryside, and the simple life of a good-hearted farming man. Gorgeous cinematography. And wonderful details... it was great to see the traditional Mora clock, quietly ticking away, and reminding our dear farmer that life is short, and he should take life by the reigns and do his best. He does, and it's lovely.

Those who love this film should see "House of Angels," another of Nutley's quiet gems.

Recommended.

While watching this movie with my husband last night, I kept saying aloud, "Oh my goodness, this is lovely, just lovely." It's so lush and lyrical and downright touching (oooh, I hate to use that word, for fear readers will think it's sappy or stupid, and it's not - but it IS touching). You fear all will not end well for dear Olaf, a huge country `boy,' a 40yo self-proclaimed virgin whose other major problem is that he's illiterate. But Olaf has a heart of the purest gold. He has lived alone on a remote Swedish country farm with his dog and his chickens, cows, and horses. There is one `friend,' Eric, a slick man-of-the-world, who has been borrowing money from him. Olaf can't even read the IOU notes Eric gives him now and then.
Olaf, shy and socially awkward, has been alone since his mother's death a decade earlier. There's nothing weird about his love for his mother; you don't get the sense he's a momma's boy. It's just that, way out at the end of the road, there's not much opportunity to meet women. So he puts an ad in a big newspaper for `a housekeeper.'
Enter: Ellen. Obviously a city girl, in her fitted suit, upswept French twist, and high heels. And obviously, she has a past, a secret, a hidden flaw, because otherwise, why would this urbane woman be answering an ad to go live on a remote farm?
Eric, jealous and fearful that his abuse of Olaf's trust will be discovered, determines to discover Ellen's secret.
That's enough of a set-up to get you started on your way to the video store to rent this absolutely beautiful, redemptive movie. See it, and recommend it to all your friends if you love it as much as I did.

During the middle nineteen fifties, during the cold war, Sweden was the scenario of airborne drills and military testing, the plane flies carrying weapons, emulating the birds, the real ones, and the wooden man made in the cage...and in The Little Farm (Bates book's that inspired this movie), one man is looking for a miracle, a woman to love. And what a great way to put that, wars are left behind by love stories, because is love what really matters...there is nothing new under solen. Rolf Lassard, face goes alike his horse both are noble, truth, good willed...a man eager to love, a man who believes in friendship. A simple man who can read the heart over no words. Helena Bergstrom is outstanding: pragmatic, but genuine, looking for a life in the farm, where a day of handwork has the reward of a kiss and the beauty of the passion between two people in love. The summer in the Scandinavian interior, the metaphor of the spider Webb, the clock that unwinds at 9:00 PM, the dog that respects the privacy of his master...Seeing Olof taking the horses to drink in Vanderlake...A remarkable work of Colin Nutley, the movie is almost a tranquilizer that conveys meditation, reflex ion and love. And of course...the music! It is almost a crime that there is no soundtrack, cause if you add Paddy Molloney, Gabriel Fauré Requiem opus 48, The Weeping Willows (It's so hard to always loose), Bill Whelan Celtic Heartbeat, and the Scandinavian folk...my goodness, you are in presence of a masterpiece. The sequence of "read the letter for me..." is one of the most romantic scenes ever in a movie. This is a movie, if you have had enough of FX and violence, and if you are looking for Arts and The missing romanticism of Roy Orbisson, the voice of Magnus Carlsson, The Chieftains and The Pastoral Scandinavian, this movie is for you!

This is a true Swedish classic- definitely in the same arena as "My Life As A Dog". I saw this at Cinequest in San Jose, CA some time ago, and have been waiting for it to be released on VHS or DVD ever since. It amazes me that a film of such beauty is hardly known outside the film festival circuit.

It's a story of a single, illiterate man, a farmer in his forties, whose been living alone for several years since the death of his mother. He comes to the realization that he may never find a mate, so he places an add in the local paper for a maid servant- with the intention of meeting and falling in love with her. It's a beautiful, heart warming love story. One that I hope will be released on DVD in the near future.

I saw this movie in the original Swedish two years ago, and I only have a basic grasp of Swedish. I absolutely ADORED this movie, and have not be able to WAIT until I could get it with the English subtitles. Even without having a total knowledge of the Swedish language, the acting and direction in this movie are so good, I STILL knew what was going on at all times. If you care anything for "the olden days" in the "old country," I recommend you get this movie. I thought it was fantastic. Colin Nutley is the greatest!

Quite simply, I am nuts about this film. I don't usually see films more than once, but I have seen this one four times, and still counting. It never disappoints. The film is eloquent without being snotty, and it is filled with emotions that are sweet without being cloying.
"Under The Sun" is perfect. I wish that all of Colin Nutley's films could be made available in the US. I would buy every one.

Under The Sun is exquisite without being precious; filled with sentiment though not sentimental; it has a power yet it never raises its voice. It is not a feel-good movie though one leaves the theatre certainly feeling better than when they walked in. I think the power of the film comes with its authenticity in depicting the human actions and interactions. This authenticity disarms us and exposes our humanity in ways few films ever achieve. Beyond this, each scene can stand on its own as a visual work of art. Bravo!

I saw this movie (subtitled) at the Cinequest film fest a while back and still feel it's one of the BEST films I've seen -EVER! The cinematography makes you feel as if you are there. The characters are great -shy, caring, awkward. You become absorbed in their experiences and the suspense as their relationships change and transmute. I can hardly wait to see it again. I highly recommend this film.

In the beginning of the summer Olof (Rolf Lassgård), a big farmer, decides to hire a maid through the personals in a local newspaper, but in actuality he is looking for companionship. Awkwardly Olof approaches the whole matter with difficulty as he is illiterate for which he suffers in silent shame. Despite his anxiety he goes through the process with the whole village being aware of his add in the personals. Olof receives two responses, but he responds to the letter from the beautiful Ellen (Helena Bergström) as it contains a photo. When Ellen arrives Olof is extremely nervous as he doubts that she will take the job as a maid. However, she is willing to take the job without delay to Olof's astonishment. Olof's friend, Erik (Johan Widerberg), is on the other hand very suspicious about Ellen and what her scheme is as she seems to be out of her environment. Under the Sun is a warm and sensitive film about insecurities and love as the audience ventures with Olof through his social dilemmas. This social journey is enhanced by Rolf Lassgård's amazing performance as the big farmer that has a very limited life experience from outside the farm. A trademark for Nutley's films is the amazing shots of scenery which are apparent in this film. One could say that Nutley basically brings summer to the audience as he provides a brilliant cinematic experience in Under the Sun.

This is another recent foreign film which just blows anything Hollywood has put out in recent years right out of the water.

Rolf Lassgård is lovable as the big lug Olof, a 40-something virgin out to fulfill his mother's dying wish that he get himself a lady. But hopelessly shy and awkward, his only method of reaching out is to put an ad in a local paper seeking a live-in maid.

Director Colin Nutley casts his own wife, the wholesomely radiant Helena Bergström, in the role of Ellen, the mysterious and enchanting woman who comes to the remote farm to take the job.

Also on the scene is Olof's friend Erik, a cocky young man who has been to America and fancies himself a man of the world. We are thrown off balance at the beginning of the film by Erik's seemingly unnatural interest in Olof's new living arrangements, but by the end of the film we come to understand him and see him for just what he is.

Nutley takes things slow, and what I really enjoyed about this movie was the very low-key and understated way that an erotic tension was allowed to gradually build up between the three. Very refreshing to those of us overdosed on Hollywood's in-your-face, over-the-top directness these days.

Plot complications naturally ensue, but the honesty of the ending will have you cheering.

All I can say is, thank goodness there are still places on this planet where people are not infected with the cynical sarcasm so prevalent in our North American culture today, and are not afraid of genuine emotions. Thank you Sweden!