Sweet Land
Sweet Land is an old fashioned love story written and directed by Ali Selim (it was adapted from a short story). It takes place around 1920 in rural Minnesota.
Inge (Elizabeth Reaser) comes all the way from Norway to be a mail order bride. After quite a wait she is met at the station by Frandsen (Alan Cumming - he is also one of the film's producers) and Olaf (Tim Guinee), who is her husband to be. At first Inge thinks that Frandsen is bridegroom and she seems to be a bit disappointed to find out the dour Olaf is the man she is supposed to marry.
When they arrive the church everything is ready for the wedding. But it is soon discovered that Inge is German, not Norwegian. Because of World War I many people are suspicious of the Germans and Minister Sorrensen (John Heard) refuses to marry them. The next day they go to the judge in the hopes that he will marry them but he refuses because Inge doesn't have the proper papers.
Most of the rest of the film is devoted to how, as time goes on, Inge and Olaf fall in love with each other. This doesn't happen all at once and at some points in the film you wonder if they will actually stay together. But as they work on Olaf's farm together they develop feelings for each other.
Reaser and Guinee are wonderful as the leads. All of the actors are spot on as well. Besides the actors that I already mentioned the cast includes Alex Kingston as Frandsen's wife Brownie (and the mother of his nine children!), Ned Beatty as the town banker who seems to take pleasure in foreclosing farms, and Lois Smith who plays the older Inge. We see her at the beginning and end of the film.
I don't know much about Selim but he has created a wonderful and sensitive film. And the cinematograpy by David Tumbelty is breathtaking. The look of the film reminded me of Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven.
Sweet Land was made for very little money but is an absolute gem. It won't get a wide release because of its limited budget but I do hope that people go to see this film. If you are a romantic at heart (as I am) then you will love this film.
Inge (Elizabeth Reaser) comes all the way from Norway to be a mail order bride. After quite a wait she is met at the station by Frandsen (Alan Cumming - he is also one of the film's producers) and Olaf (Tim Guinee), who is her husband to be. At first Inge thinks that Frandsen is bridegroom and she seems to be a bit disappointed to find out the dour Olaf is the man she is supposed to marry.
When they arrive the church everything is ready for the wedding. But it is soon discovered that Inge is German, not Norwegian. Because of World War I many people are suspicious of the Germans and Minister Sorrensen (John Heard) refuses to marry them. The next day they go to the judge in the hopes that he will marry them but he refuses because Inge doesn't have the proper papers.
Most of the rest of the film is devoted to how, as time goes on, Inge and Olaf fall in love with each other. This doesn't happen all at once and at some points in the film you wonder if they will actually stay together. But as they work on Olaf's farm together they develop feelings for each other.
Reaser and Guinee are wonderful as the leads. All of the actors are spot on as well. Besides the actors that I already mentioned the cast includes Alex Kingston as Frandsen's wife Brownie (and the mother of his nine children!), Ned Beatty as the town banker who seems to take pleasure in foreclosing farms, and Lois Smith who plays the older Inge. We see her at the beginning and end of the film.
I don't know much about Selim but he has created a wonderful and sensitive film. And the cinematograpy by David Tumbelty is breathtaking. The look of the film reminded me of Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven.
Sweet Land was made for very little money but is an absolute gem. It won't get a wide release because of its limited budget but I do hope that people go to see this film. If you are a romantic at heart (as I am) then you will love this film.
posted by Film Fanatic | 2:12 PM
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