The Emigrants (1971) Movie Review

Review by co-editor Carl Eastvold

MOVIE REVIEW

The Emigrants [VHS]

Starring: Max von Sydow and Liv Ullman

Genre: Historical Fiction (based on novel)

Setting: Sweden/ Midwestern United States/mid-19th century

Length: 151 minutes

Rating: ☆☆☆1/2

There is a particular steadiness about this picture which will, perhaps, resonate more strongly with people of Scandinavian heritage.  At the start of the film, Karl Oscar and Christina are impoverished Swedish farmers on poor land.  Karl Oscar wants to go to America.  Christina is afraid.  One of their children dies due to hunger and they make the voyage.  

I had a 2nd great grandfather who left Norway for America about the same time and this movie almost seems like his story.  He wrote about it later in life, and under a reason for coming to America, he wrote he'd become used to eating - and thought there was a better chance of it in America.

The trials and determination of this group of immigrants is well played by the film, and though there are times of dreariness and sameness to the narrative, there is also hope and much to be learned of the immigrant struggle.  Well worth watching.