Pelle the Conqueror
Director: Bille August
Year Released: 1988
Rating: 3.0
Honestly, not much to say here: it's the story of paradise sought and lost, and the ensuing disillusion when only torment and filth follow. Here, young Pelle and his father Lasse (played by the great actor Max von Sydow) leave Sweden to find work and "bread with raisins" in Denmark, only to have their expectations shattered when they are forced to eat herring every day in a concentration camp-type atmosphere. There are missteps and great moments interspersed - for every poorly developed subplot with a lackluster resolution there's a wonderful conversation or delightful shot of the icy landscape. Can't speak too highly of the ending - which is too reminiscent of Truffaut's The 400 Blows - or August's way of piling on the torment to evoke a rise out of the audience, but nevertheless, the film is still effective.
