Sotto il sole

"Under the Sun" is a bucolic, warm, charming, and sentimental story about a 40 year old Swedish farmer who hires an attractive housekeeper who tends to somewhat more than cooking and cleaning. He's illiterate with an inheritance, she's smart and pretty, and he has a young male friend who may be after both his money and the woman. A lovely bit of romantic melodrama laced with humor and rustic beauty which could steal your heart or make you gag depending on your taste. Recommended for more mature sentimentalists. (B)

This was a wonderful movie about love, trust and self-discovery. The acting was first rate, and the photography was beautiful. It is a very sensitive portrayal of the very human need for love and acceptance, yet it is never heavy. The story moves along very well. The characters and plot are believable. I highly recommend it!

H.E. Bates' story `The Little Farm' on which `Under Solen' is based, was screened in a shortened version way back in the early 70s by Granada TV. The fact that this is not exactly one of his better known stories made it all the more surprising when it appeared as `Under Solen' in a full-length film miraculously transported to rural Sweden in the 1950s, and directed by a Brit…….. The result is charming, to say the least.

Olof, now over 40, decides he and his ramshackle farm need a young woman round the place, and so a very beautiful thirty-something Ellen walks into his life in answer to an advertisement for a housewife, much to the chagrin and scepticism of Erik, Olof's best friend. Good interpretations, though one might surmise Johan Widerberg tended to overplay his part at times; Rolf Lassgård and Helena Bergström gave pleasing performances. The photography is beautiful: all that lovely summer countryside somewhere in rural Sweden comes across very well, including heavy thunderstorms dripping through the roof of the old barn showering the happy couple's new-found passion. Wonderful to see one of those original Saabs which Erik Carlsson drove so successfully to so many victories in car rallies back in the late 50s! As well as a magnificent old bus. I could not quite make out if everyone was still driving on the left, though most certainly Olof's and Erik's cars were for driving on the right. Anybody know in which year Sweden changed from driving on the left to driving on the right, please?

My only quibble is Paddy Moloney's Celtic music seemd rather out of place in the middle of Swedish countryside. I mean, there is no lacking of indigenous folk and rural music from `Lockrop & Vallåtar' or Järna Musik och Dansfestival, Sommar-Gränna Blue Grass and Old Time, or from people like Richard Näslin and Lasse Sörlin, for example.

Nicely paced the film moves deftly from scene to scene without jarring any of the senses, with the result that this film is indeed pleasant viewing.

I saw the movie recently, as I was looking for a new taste of movies outside the French, Spanish, Italian or German ones. I adore European movies very much, and so I deliberately picked it up from the blockbuster store. After watching the brilliant performance of Rolf Lassgård as well as Helena Bergström, I have no doubt that a true romantic movie was nominated for Oscar foreign film category. The camera-work, Celtic music, photography, the location and obviously the acting was simply brilliant. It is really a must see movie and all credits to the director as he has brought up such a nice movie out of a simple story which still possesses the rustiness of a Swedish village. Rarely one can see such a nice romantic presentation of movie based on such a common topic. It could not have been done more better. I am a bit surprised why it was rated "R", there are many Hollywood movies which are much "R" rated and bogus. Isn't a bit of ill-fated skepticism on the Swedish movie? I think it's time to learn for the h'wood "dumbs" how to make romantic movies in a presentable way without explicit scenes and come out of the viscous circle of the sci-fi, thriller, murder, horror plots.

Do watch it if you have not, a must see for your family and it reckons 10/10!!

The SO brought this one home, having found it in the 'new releases' section. I remember hearing about it six years ago, but was in the UK at the time and never saw it.

Nutley took the Swedish spirit and gave it back to the people early on with short 'stilleben' shoots of Stockholm and its people and made an impression. 'House of Angels' (or whatever it's called in the English language version) was his first major film in Sweden and one of the biggest box offices ever.

The rental we had preserved the wide screen, which is absolutely essential in this context. Nutley has a knack for finding pastorals which are incredible, and Swedes really suck this up. The images themselves are so stunning and evocative to the local populace that this in itself is enough soul candy.

Nutley is of course together with his perennial leading lady today, and they have two or three children together, and in a clumsy event she was voted best Swedish actress of all time, ahead of Bergman and Garbo, but there is no discounting her talent or on-screen presence. Beautiful in a flawless way she may not be, but her on-screen charisma and meticulous acting are impressive.

Simple story? Yes, perhaps, but it's not only the plot you come to watch: it's the pictures themselves. Why watch Olof chop wood when you can film him from inside the house and show a bit of the window frame at the same time? Some of the pictures are so carefully laid out it's fantastic.

And the story itself: with acting this good, and with directing this good, you're going to find yourself moved and watery-eyed at the end no matter what.

I was surprised to find this movie won and was nominated for so many awards. I remember at the time critics in Sweden panning it. But I must have got this wrong. 'Under Solen' is a tour de force, a work of art, by a Brit who has captured the soul and spirit of Sweden like few others. A 'must see'.