Souvenir du front

This film was showing at a local film festival. I knew nothing about it beforehand apart from that it was in Finnish, but went to see it because I have really enjoyed my three trips to the country. Without giving away too much of the plot, the basic theme was how bravery and serious injury can so easily be ignored once a war is over and how an ex-soldier who cannot manage any remotely-complicated task manages to get by and still live a fulfilling life, despite having been deserted by almost all his previous friends and girlfriend/fiancée (and, presumably, any family still living). I found it thought-provoking and very moving, with excellent photography of the Finnish forests in winter. The sound quality was very good too - even though I can only understand a few words of Finnish, I was impressed by the clarity of the actors' speech. I will certainly buy the DVD when it becomes available.

"Koirankynnen leikkaaja" is a great movie, one of the best ever made in Finland. The great basic story is followed by a gigantic roles by Peter Franzen, who is playing the handicapped Mertsi Vepsäläinen, and also Taisto Reimaluoto as his former war companion. Shortly saying the whole movie is full of warmth, some kind of an hidden humanity which, unfortunately, some people might have already forgotten these days. It's a story about what is important in life and what values do we need to REALLY be happy and proud of ourselves (nothing to do with ecomonical values, is the main point of Markku Pölönen and Veikko Huovinen). It's a story about friendship and about this "friend won't be left" -attitude, which - unfortunately - might have been forgotten on this globalization-time world. This is definitely an excellent movie. It also gives to its watcher a very different view to war in general. After all, who is the biggest hero: a man, who has killed 20 russkies in Winter War or a man, who takes his responsibility about his companions and treat them as a human? Watch "Koirankynnen leikkaaja" - the answer is clear, according to Markku Pölönen and Veikko Huovinen. A great movie, really.

Mertsi Arhippa Vepsäläinen (Peter Franzen) gets shot in the head during the war and never is the same again.He looks for a job after the war and with the help of his buddy Eetvi Manninen (Taisto Reimaluoto) he finds one at a lumber camp.It's cold in the winter at the forest.But the work for Mertsi is too challenging.He has nightmares of the war and dreams of cutting the overlong dew claws of a dog named Sakke.Ville Kuosmanen (Ahti Kuoppala) owns such a Spitz dog.Markku Pölönen directed this movie based on Veikko Huovinen's novel.I haven't read the book yet.The author Veikko Huovinen himself liked this movie.Peter Franzen does convincing job in the lead.He can be comical and tragical, often at the same time.Taisto Reimaluoto is very good as Eetvi, who wants nothing but the best for his friend.Ahti Kuoppala has always done good job, like in the movie Simpauttaja about thirty years earlier.Another legendary actor, Leo Lastumäki, who has his birthday today (79 years old), is brilliant as Kämppäukko.Ville Virtanen portrays Foreman Luti.Risto Salmi is Horseman Turpeinen.Simo Tamminen is Doctor.Vieno Saaristo plays the part of Taimi Kuosmanen.Hannu Virolainen is Station-Master.Korpisaran Tuuli plays Sakke the dog.Koirankynnen leikkaaja (2004) represents one of the better modern Finnish movies.It has a touching story, characters you care about and great actors to portray those characters.

This film continues the excellent serie of Pölönen's films. I have liked very much all his films that I have seen before this (Kivenpyörittäjän kylä, Kuningasjätkä and Badding). I can't say which one is the best, all them have their own way to find the direct channel to one's heart. Peter Franzen and Taisto Reimaluoto perform again so beautifully as those ordinary, honest, warm-hearted men of Finnish country side. Always trusted characters Ahti Kuoppala and Leo Lastumäki, and all the other actors complete the picture, how it was to rebuild Finland after the second World War in the shift of 1940's and 1950's. This is the most beautiful tribute to mr Veikko Huovinen for his touching novel with the same name. Thank you for the producer mr Kari Sara and the director Markku Pölönen and their teams to make all this happen.