Ronia, the Robber's Daughter (1984)

First i have to admit, that, even at my advanced age of 33, I still read the book sometimes. It is that good. Uplifting, intelligent and with a real funny tongue-in-cheek style humour. The movie is the same, It takes all the great things you love in the book and turns them into moving (literally and emotionally) pictures on the screen. I remember seeing it 1985 in the cinema, I was 11 years old. Since then I must have watched it every time it airs on German TV.Now what is to like: First the production. Unlike many Fairy-tale movies where the looks are somewhat glamorous, the looks here are gritty. The bandits are dirty, ill-mannered but soft-hearted. The rooms in the castle are dimly lit and the forest is as much oppressing as it is open and free. The many fantasy creatures are great transformations from their descriptions in the book. Though nowadays you would smile at the FX.Second, the acting. It is great in the meaning, that you believe every role to be real. It is not spectacular acting of the type that makes you a stage star. One exception: I really love the performance of Allan Edwall who clearly overshadows each other performance acting-wise. The two kids, always a tough casting, perform really well, even in the more mellow scenes.All in all, this movie creates such a great atmosphere, that it is one of my all time favourites. I see it now as a father, so I can feel what my father must have felt, when watching it with me. And this movie is as enchanting to me now as to my daughter.The only reasons I gave a 9/10 is that I do want to distinguish it from my only 10/10 vote for "tri oriosky pro popelku", another great family movie.

Ronja Rövardotter is the very best book Astrid Lindgren, the children literature queen of the world. And the film is brilliant, entertaining, full of humor and warmth and just the right amount of suspense. Very well done.

I must have seen this film at least 50 times........It's so wonderful, that I even watch it now from time to time, just to experience that amazing feeling of joy, wonder and adventure it gave me. I don't speak any Swedish, but still I know all the lines by heart, just by seeing it so many times !I saw it for the first time when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I was totally amazed. Amazed by this simple story about an 11-year-old girl living in a medieval castle ( surrounded by a huge forest )with a gang of hairy robbers and her stern but loving mother. Her father is the leader of the band, and regards himself as the greatest and bravest robber that ever roamed the woods. Her world is also inhabited by strange creatures, from little gnome-like creatures to flying evil birdlike witches. When her father discovers her friendship with the son of another leader of a gang of robbers ( and therefore his sworn enemy ), she leaves home and settles with Birk ( the boy ) in a cave in the woods. Together they try to survive until their fathers stop hating each other (which eventually happens).Ronja immediately became my role-model. She showed me that girls can stand up for themselves just as boys, and that women can be just as tough as men. This simple story deals with all basic things in life : friendship, doing what you think is right, following your heart, stand up for yourself and facing the dangers and problems in life with your chin up and your back straight. The element of fantasy and all the creatures make it a great movie for children, but I believe even younger children will appreciate the story of friendship and love too, and will capture the important messages that this movie carries. I have it on tape, and I hope that I will be able to watch it some day with my daughter(s). I think this film should especially be watched by girls, since Astrid lindgren has put in it a special message for them. But apart from that, it's a film that can be watched and enjoyed by anyone between the age of 5 and 105 ! In my opinion one of the best, if not THE best children's movie ever made ! Watch it, and be a kid again. Watch it, and see the basic things that make life worth living.10 out of 10 !

Here in South-America is really difficult to see European movies. A Swedish friend invites me to see it, in an film festival. I went to see "Ronja" without knowing anything about the story, just the title. It was a magnificent surprise! I loved the characters, the story, and this lovely girl Ronja. It's like a dream, I felt like a child looking at the dreams in the movie. This film proves to me that children are the same in all the world, no matter his/her country or his/her beliefs. Their innocence can make the world a better place.Don't miss "Ronja". I hope someday I could see it with my sons and daughters.