Fänrik Ståls sägner

The history of Finland, that European land of a thousand lakes, was always related to Sweden for of which it was part until 1809, and the Russian Empire of which Finland was made an autonomous state, the Grand Duchy of Finland, since that year.

"Fänrig Ståls sägner", directed by Herr John W. Brunius in the silent year of 1926, depicts precisely the transitional period of uncertainty that happened in the history of that European country during the Finnish war of 1808-1809. Events according to Herr Johan Ludwig Runeberg (who was a very important Finnish poet) are precisely used as the film describes in a romantic way Herr Runeberg's poem; many inter-titles in the film are quotes.

In spite of being an important Swedish film budget production, the film's many actors were Finnish and much of the film was filmed in Finland. This created an excellent paradigm of the duality that Finland suffered in those times trying to maintain its independence and culture from the Swedish (and Russians) with a stubborn Finnish determination to defend their genuine idiosyncrasy. Depicted in the film are many scenes in the form of a romantic and nationalist exaltation of the land as well as scenes of many heroic deeds.

The Swedish policy of war and its internal contradictions together with the Russian strong determination to annex Finland is depicted in the film sometimes in a confusing way. That's due to the many characters involved in the film and the many historical facts that Herr Runeberg is trying to depict in two long hours.

The film story is remembered in flashback by an old lieutenant who participated in the war as recounted to a young teacher. Besides the war epic, the film also includes a love story among two youngsters who are involved in the turmoil of the war incidents. This makes the film kind of "collage" that many times lacks rhythm and film continuity; as the Teutonic saying goes, it's a situation of "Jack of all trades and master of none"… In spite of the lack of intensity in developing the historical events depicted in the film, the picture has vigorous battle scenes where a lot of extras were needed. They're not elaborated or complicated ones, certainly ( more camera movements would have improved the action needed in order to transmit the clamour of war ). However, there are moments in which the war epic achieves moments of tragic lyricism and beauty.

"Fänrig Ståls sägner" is probably too ambitious film in its various and erratic artistic film purposes and failed especially in telling the historical process of the events that the picture tries to describe. However, at the same time it is successful in the film's aesthetic and patriotic artistic purposes by depicting an important transitional period in the Finland history.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must continue to rule implacably his independent Germanic Duchess.

Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com

John W. Brunius made three great Swedish epics in the late 20s of which this one was the second, all three based on Swedish historical reality from different centuries. This concerns the tragic war with Russia in 1808, in which Sweden lost Finland, which had been the eastern part of Sweden for 650 years. The less said about the war, the better, it was an assault as foul as the one in the Winter War of 1939 by as hopelessly overwhelming superpower against a small people who only wanted to live in peace. The national poet of Finland Johan Ludvig Runeberg compiled a collection of poems about it, taking care of the few glimpses of hope and glory on the Swedish-Finnish side that did after all shine through.

It's a number of epic episodes, and John W. Brunius has piously put all the best ones on screen. The result is a great delight to all literature lovers of Finland and Sweden of Runeberg and his eloquent Homeric poetry, since they will recognize every scene and character from the poems. Like in all these three epics of Brunius', the screening is admirable, many scenes are unforgettably pictorial, almost like true historical paintings, and you can see how the actors enjoyed making these films. Edvin Adolphson is outstanding as George Carl von Döbeln, the only Swedish general in the war who went down honorably in history, but all the characters are excellent. The one episode which is not from Runeberg is the love story in the second part, adding an unnecessary bathos to the film.

It does not follow the same chronology and order as Runeberg's poems but has been put into a more epic composition, the first part ending with the treason and fall of Sveaborg, dealing a mortal blow to the defense from the beginning, while the second part ends with the glory of Döbeln and the heartrending tragedy of Sven Dufva, also two of the highlights in the poems.

On the whole, it's a great film, the rustic sceneries are magnificent, the battle scenes quite impressing still, the human ingredients add both charm and humor to the epic collage, and you will always remember the film with a warm heart, especially íf you are a friend of Finland. It should be noted, that although it's a Swedish film, it was made in Finland, and all the amateur actors are Finnish.