Utvandrarna

'The Emigrants' ('Utvandarna' in Swedish) directed by Jan Troell was released in 1971 and is based on a series of novels written by Vilhelm Moberg and published between 1949 and 1959. The story takes place one hundred years earlier, sometime in the middle of 19th century. And yet, seen today, this film telling the story of a group of Swedes who emigrated from Europe to the United States because of economic hardships and religious persecutions has a strong resonance in the actuality of the second decade of the 21st century. The migrants putting their lives in danger to cross the high waters following the dreams of freedom and better lives for them and their children may speak different languages and their skins may have a different color today, but seeing this film today reminds that most of us or our ancestors have been once migrants. The images of the columns of men and women in march on land or clustered in fragile boats sailing on dangerous seas look so familiar.

As a historical document 'The Emigrants' is a great film. It shows us a moment of crisis in the history of Sweden and Europe, one of those periods that produced the great human migrations to America in the 19th century. From the point of view of American history it is a film about the Zero Moment of the American dream. There is, of course, a lot of naivety in the image that future immigrants have about the New World. Even the most educated of them owe their knowledge of reading propaganda books, written in order to encourage emigration, which contained many inaccuracies, intentional or not. But precisely this naivety is one of the pillars of the American dream. The road is littered with obstacles and not everyone who starts it reaches the promised shore. The power and quality of the film also lies in the description of the psychology and motivation of those who leave their country and the places where they were born and lived forever to embark on an adventure that seems exceptional today. And again, we cannot help but compare what we see in the film with the psychology and motivations of many of today's migrants.

The extremely thorough reconstruction of life in 19th-century Swedish villages contributes to the authenticity and credibility of what we see on screen. The film has an exceptional distribution with Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann in the lead roles. With its over three hours 'The Emigrants' has a format and duration that can be a test for today's viewers. Those who will respond to the challenge will enjoy a quality film show about an episode of history that resonates in the present.

Part 1 of a two-part epic (the second part is 1972's The New Land), I half thought about watching The Emigrants and its second part as one long movie, but The Emigrants by itself is plenty for now. I'd probably burn out and therefore not be able to appreciate The New Land properly if I tried to marathon them, but do plan to find the time to finish this two-part epic within the next day or two.

The Emigrants alone feels like two, or maybe even three, movies in one. Its runtime exceeds three hours, and it tells the story of a group of farmers in Sweden during the 1800s deciding to start a new life in America. This first half of the overall saga involves establishing how bad life was for a farmer in Sweden, then showing the arduous journey by boat from Sweden to America, and then finally, it spends some time with the characters as they travel further inland after setting foot in America.

It's gruelling by design, and viscerally captures how difficult such a journey would have been back during the middle of the 19th century. The section spent at sea is particularly harrowing, but I guess it has to be, and it doesn't shy away from anything when it comes to claustrophobia, seasickness, lice, terrible food, disease, and death. It makes The Emigrants a tough but compelling watch, and part of me wonders what The New Land will do to keep the stakes high, because it's hard to imagine things getting worse than that trip across the ocean (I may end up eating my words 24-48 hours from now, but we'll have to wait and see).

Not a film for everyone, but I thought it moved pretty well considering its length and slow pace. Performances were generally strong, and it had some very good visuals too. I get the sense Terrence Malick would have loved this movie, too, because I see bits of Badlands, Days of Heaven, The New World, and A Hidden Life in here at times.

The Emigrants follows Karl Oskar (Max von Sydow) and Kristina (Liv Ullman), plus their children and some extended family members and neighbors, on their journey from rural Sweden to America in the 1840s. The movie excels at showing the backbreaking work required just to stay afloat on a struggling farm, as well as the everyday misfortunes and occasional calamities that could ruin those already on the brink of economic catastrophe.

Few of the characters believe the streets of America are paved with gold. Instead, The Emigrants is a brutally realistic take about struggling and seeing no future in one's homeland and deciding to risk everything in order to have a shot at a better future. The movie is neither cliche nor cynical about the "American Dream." It makes its social points through contrasts and juxtaposition. We see the wealthy Americans aboard a steamboat interspersed with jarring shots of chained slaves below. There also are incredible moments of wonder, like the elderly Swedish woman seeing a steam engine approach for the first time in her life.

The film is an honest and moving portrait about one group of Swedish expats seeking opportunity, whether financial or religious. Perhaps most of all, the movie captures the sense of home and of homelessness for the characters. The chemistry between von Sydow and Ullmann is incredible. Husband and wife, they say they are best friends, and it shows. It's powerful acting.

I would give this film a 9/10, but for the editing. At least a half hour of this film could have been left on the cutting-room floor, particularly in the first half. You could walk away for several minutes and miss nothing. Otherwise, The Emigrants definitely worth seeing.

I had this movie on VHS and transferred it to DVD. It is one of the best movies I have ever seen, and its sequel "The New Land" is equally as good. The acting, direction, cinematography... all excellent. It is a very evocative movie and seems to depict quite honestly the hardships and struggles of immigrants in the 1800s. This is one of about a dozen movies I must watch at least once per year. I love it. I would recommend this movie to dang-near anybody!

Jan Troell, has truly captured the feeling of what inspires people to emigrate and the subsequent hardships that await in the land of hope. True masters of the craft, Sydow and Ullmann, are superb in their performances. They truly pull you into the time, the frame of mind and thus make you feel like you are sharing their voyage. A great film that is everything a film should be - moving. It is a mystery why this film did not win an Oscar for best foreign picture, best actress and best actor - though with all fairness, with both Caberet and The Godfather in the running, it would have required a miracle. If you should have the luck of stumbling onto this film at a rental shop, thank Fellini's ghost - grasp it and head for the check out.