Under the Sun (1998)
Olof lives alone on his family's farm after the death of his mother. Unable to read and write, he is dependent on his younger friend, Erik, who helps him in the afternoons. Once a sailor, Erik brags of having known hundreds of women. Out of the blue, Olof advertises in the local paper for a young lady housekeeper, and Ellen, a middle-class city woman, arrives to take over the house and, as the summer goes on, Olof's heart and Erik's desire as well.
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"There's nothing new Under the Sun (Under solen)" is the titular closing line for this lovely Swedish farm romance.And yeah it does draw on familiar territory -- the mail-order bride type Westerns like "Rachel and the Stranger," the woman with a secret who appears in beautiful rural scenery in "Days of Heaven," combined with the threatening, non-stop talking intruder as in "Smooth Talk" (who the entire audience would have gladly murdered as we laughed uproariously when his ironic fate was sealed).Set in 1955 with some more sexual frankness than those after all non-Swedish earlier movies, "Under the Sun" is grounded in the realism of the lead characters, as a man and woman in their '30's who understand life, people and most of all themselves. But my friend and I found we kept thinking the exact same things: why the heck did those horses need to be taken all the way to that scenic water hole all day? Couldn't they just drink water from a trough? And is it really summer in Sweden all the time?(originally written 8/25/2001)
"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)
We loved this film. In a time of fast action, surprise, and worst-case scenarios, this is a human drama about living, love, relationship, and truth. The cinematography is stunning. Warm, golden hues of a Swedish summer ... and a reminder of life outside of our current era of technology and speed. A story of two people falling in love for who they are ... not titles. Many visual and cinematographic metaphors and allusions. A beautiful and touching film.
I was lucky enough to have seen this film only a month or two ago on TV, and I loved it. Rolf Lassgård is excellent and makes you feel compassion for Olof and his situation. Erik is somewhat likeable and dislikable at the same time, and Ellen is perfect, making an attractive and layered character. This is a sweet movie, with a little uncertainty to keep you interested and hopeful. A simple story about life and love, that you'll be glad you watched.