Displaying items by tag: Utvandrarna/ The Emigrants movie

THE EMIGRANTS/ Utvandrarna

Sweden/Norway, 2021, 148 minutes, Colour.

Gustaf Skarsgaard, Bermudez, Tove Lo.

Directed by Erik Poppe.

In the early 1970s, Swedish director, Jan Troel, made two epic films from the celebrated novels on Swedish immigration to the United States in the 19^th century. Max von Sydow and Liv Ulmann starred in these films.

Now, celebrated Norwegian director, Eric Poppe (the fine drama, Troubled Waters, and Norwegian history with films about the King in World War II, the government of Quisling, and the massacre on 22 July 2012) has undertaken a remake, running for 2 ½ hours, beginning in black-and-white with the family, moving into colour with their lives in Sweden, the difficulties, very much a focus on the female characters, the wife and her not wanting to go to the United States, the death of a child, then her collaboration with her husband and the voyage.

It is also a pioneer story of migrants moving into the centre of the United States, outlying villages, homes and homesteads, families trying to survive. There is also a religious dimension, a move from Lutheran faith and practice to questions about Christianity in this new land.

There is quite some drama, especially with the wife and a prostitute she has encountered during the voyage, and the setting up of a plan against the migrants, blaming the prostitute but eventually coming to terms friendship.

An important drama, as with the books and the previous films, a glimpse of the pioneering spirit of migrants from Scandinavia in the 19^th century.

1. Based on classic novels? The 1971 epic film? This version focusing on a family in the context of the broad sweep of migration?
2. Swedish sequences, the 1840s, farms, the seasons, poverty, the community, the hard work, churchgoing and religion, fires and disasters, neighbours helping? The context for migration? Hope for America, the Minnesota, owning farms and prospering?
3. The framework of the film, the family leaving the village, the cart, looking back, the insertion of the flashbacks, life on the farm, Karl-Oscar and Judit, the hard work, their love for each other, their commitment, the children, births, deaths, the children growing up, the frequent pregnancies? Fire and its destruction, the neighbours helping with food? Judith and her mother, hard?
4. The issue of migrating, Karl Oscar and his hopes, enthusiasm, Judit less enthusiastic, the questions, the discussions with her mother, the situation, exceeding to her husband, the decision to go? The bond between husband and wife, the bond with the young daughter, the young boy, the baby?
5. The screenplay and the focus on Judit, narrowing the focus but her representing all the women, the migrants? Strong personality, loving her husband, initially subservient, questioning, the experience of the pregnancies, the children, the later opinion of the doctors, unable to have more children, the consequences? Her health and decline?
6. Arriving at the wharf, the hopes, not five sails on the boat, the ticket, payment, the boat out to the ship, on board, men and women separated, women and children, the bunks, the conditions, treatment, harsh? The storms and the flooding? The endurance of the voyage?
7. The character of Ulrika? Her status in the town, her later explanations her upbringing, poor, raped, child, having to survive, prostitution? The reaction of the women in the village, condemning her, quoting the Scriptures, ousting her? Judith and her reactions, her disdain for Ulrika?
8. Together on the boat, the clashes, Ulrika helping, the change would Judit, sharing, communications, Ulrika and her good nature?
9. The arrival, the confusion, the crowds at the wharf, hopes and dreams, unrealistic awareness of where Minnesota was? Ulrika, her companion, his guiding them to the railway station, the daughter getting lost, yet holding onto the tree given her by her grandmother, symbol of hope? Finding her, Ulrika reading the riot act, the train stopping, their boarding? The man going his separate way?
10. Religion in Sweden, Lutheran tradition, the churches, the ministers, the pastor and his certainty about his role call, authority? His strong-minded wife? Her influence on Judit? The harsh condemnation of Ulrika?
11. The train trip, arriving at their destination, Karl Oscar and his hopes, travelling out to find land, his absence? Judith and her reliance on Ulrika? Eventually going out, Karl Oscar and the land, the hut, setting up the house, friends helping? Judith and her loneliness, the tree?
12. The visit from Ulrika, the bond of friendship, Ulrika in the town, the shopkeeper and his help, some generosity from people?
13. The pastor, his wife, their arrival, taking control, the community, the condemnation of Ulrika, poisoning Judit against her, Judith and her traditions, her harshness? Ulrika and her hurt? The condemnation of the local pastor, the hostility towards Baptists? Ulrika, her marriage, setting up house, prospering?
14. The community, the minister, building together, success for Karl Oscar, planting, crops, the years passing, the children?
15. The issue of education, reading, the daughter and her wanting to study, the religious issues, the schools, the harsh religious teaching preventing women to be educated, to be subject to their husbands, Judit and reading, change of heart?
16. The years of hardships, pregnancies, deaths, the children growing up, the isolation?
17. Judit, her stand against the pastor and his wife, her going to visit Ulrika, the apology, the reconciliation?
18. The tree, the apples, flowering, Judit are wanting to send the letter to her mother, her daughter writing it? Her failure, illness, death?
19. The realities of 19^th century migrations to America, the range of Swedes, Irish, Italians, Jewish refugees…? Hardships, prospering?