![The Emigrants / The New Land (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91p2LsraTJL._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg)
![The Heroic Trio / Executioners (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81PVq50LJlL._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg)
![Everlasting Moments (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81spqmmzPXL._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg)
In 1974, the Swedish Academy drew considerable criticism for awarding the Nobel Prize in Literature to two of its members: “proletarian” authors Harry Martinson and Eyvind Johnson. The former was primarily a poet, though he also wrote a handful of novels, the most significant of which may be _The Road_ (1948). Johnson, for his part, was a prolific novelist who explored historical, literary, and contemporary subjects. Only two of his novels were translated into English: _Return to Ithaca_ (1946), which has at its center the figure of Odysseus, and _The Days of His Grace_ (1960), set in the time of Charlemagne. More representative of Johnson’s worldview are his four autobiographical works known as the Olof novels, a multi-volume bildungsroman. I was able to read the first two novels, _It Was the Year 1914_ (1934) and _Here Is Your Life_ (1935), which have been translated into Spanish and French. Jan Troell’s magnificent film, an underrated gem of Swedish cinema, is an adaptation of the entire cycle of novels.
_Here Is Your Life_ (1966) is quite simply about a young man who comes of age during World War I. He is not directly affected by the war, and the film does not resort to sensationalism. What we see unfolding before our eyes is in fact a rather “ordinary” life. Olof works at a timber camp, a sawmill, a cinema, and a railway depot. If I remember correctly, each novel focuses on one of these occupations. A person is what he/she does. We are shaped by our work and the people we encounter on the road. In the process, Olof discovers hardship, friendship, love, heartbreak, literature, and politics.
Troell’s film may be compared to so many classics. The ones that come to mind immediately are Satyajit Ray’s Apu trilogy (1955-1959) and François Truffaut’s Antoine Doinel films (1959-1979). In a sense, _Here Is Your Life_ is somewhere in the middle. Ray’s films are quite dramatic at times, and Truffaut’s will seem too light to some viewers. (I am, by the way, a big fan of both filmmakers.) Troell is balanced. Life is presented as a series of moments, some sad, some joyful, but nothing extreme.
I have not seen another film starring Eddie Axberg, who has an uncredited part in Bergman’s _Winter Light_ (1963). He is excellent as Olof, and he captures the character’s perplexity, stoicism, and perseverance. Olof is not a hero; once again, he is a real human being, one most viewers can relate to. I found it refreshing to see a Swedish film that did not feature the usual (excellent) actors extensively. Max von Sydow and Gunnar Björnstrand make brief appearances, but the rest of the actors I did not recognize. This added to the real-life feel of the film.
One of the outstanding aspects of _Here Is Your Life_ is the cinematography, which was in charge of Jan Troell himself, as was the script (in collaboration with Bengt Forslund) and the editing. The film is a master class in photography, as Troell does everything well. We see many landscapes in the beginning, but these give way to more intimate shots as the film progresses, and they also alternate with close-ups that place us right there with the workers as they bond during breaks. Look out for the numerous creative, unusual high and low angles. The use of hand-held cameras is also efficient and never overdone, and the film ends with a breathtaking aerial shot that comes as a pleasant surprise. Troell also throws in newsreel footage and images from silent films, as well as a rare color sequence and freeze-frame storytelling at key moments. _Here Is Your Life_ is the work of a master craftsman who has a wonderful way of looking at things and an excellent ability to convey that vision.
The Criterion Collection two-DVD edition features several extras:
* Introduction by Mike Leigh (5 minutes): the great British filmmaker is an excellent choice to present Troell’s film. He briefly discusses camera work, music, and themes. He sees _Here Is Your Life_ primarily as a film about work. The abundant shots of hands throughout the film justify this point of view.
* Conversation between Troell and Peter Cowie (34 minutes): the filmmaker reminisces on the early part of his career and discusses his techniques. A real gift.
* Interviews with Eddie Axberg and Bengt Forslund (16 and 15 minutes, respectively): Axberg talks about his experience working with Troell, specifically in _Here Is Your Life_, and Forslund discusses the film in the context of 60s Swedish cinema.
* Interlude in the Marshland: a 30-minute film by Troell starring Max von Sydow, based on a story by Eyvind Johnson. In the spur of the moment, a worker decides to abandon the train he’s on and quit his job. He finds himself in the middle of nowhere, but he enjoys himself and the natural beauty of the place. The cinematography and the music are lovely. The protagonist could be an older version of Olof. This comment on the human need for freedom was part of the omnibus _4x4_ (1965), which featured shorts by filmmakers from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
* “Great Expectations,” an essay by Mark Le Fanu: in this lucid assessment of the film, the scholar comments on the historical and artistic circumstances of _Here Is Your Life_, the source material, the filmmakers’ choices in terms of camera work and the use of color, and the connection with Ingmar Bergman’s work. I really like his description of Troell’s film as “benevolent.”
My favorite extra was the Troell-Cowie conversation, though I found the short film to be captivating too.
_Here Is Your Life_ is a poem to life and cinema. Having read only the first two Olof novels, I did not know how his story ended. Troell allowed me to *see* the conclusion, and to follow the character through the journey of his life as he became a man. I almost feel as if I had met this young man in person. For more Troell, Criterion has also released _The Emigrants_ (1971) and its sequel _The New Land_ (1972), plus _Everlasting Moments_ (2008). I will check out these soon.
Next on my list, from Swedish cinema: Ingmar Bergman’s _Cries and Whispers_ (1972).
Thanks for reading, and enjoy the film!
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
