Printer Friendly
The Free Library
19,607,059 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

DARK SWEDISH EPIC OF LOST LOVE AND A JOURNEY TO `JERUSALEM'.


Byline: David Hunter David Hunter (July 21 1802 – February 2 1886) was a Union general in the American Civil War. He achieved fame by his unauthorized 1862 order (immediately rescinded) emancipating slaves in three Southern states and as the president of the military commission trying the  Hollywood Reporter

After the tepid tep·id  
adj.
1. Moderately warm; lukewarm.

2. Lacking in emotional warmth or enthusiasm; halfhearted: "the tepid conservatism of the fifties" Irving Howe.
 response to his star-packed version of Isabel Allende's ``The House of the Spirits'' a few years back, Swedish director Bille August returns with ``Jerusalem,'' a long, engrossing engrossing, in English law, practice of acquiring a monopoly of goods in order to sell them at an inflated price. The offense was ordinarily limited to monopolies of foods. Related practices were forestalling, i.e.  epic set mostly in his native country late in the 19th century.

Based on Nobel Prize-winning Selma Lagerlof's turn-of-the-century collection of stories, this release was bypassed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a Best Foreign Language Film nomination. In a quirk typical of domestic distribution of international cinema, ``Jerusalem'' arrives when August's newest film, ``Smilla's Sense of Snow,'' should still be in theaters.

Other than small roles played by Max von Sydow and Olympia Dukakis Olympia Dukakis (born June 20, 1931) is an Academy Award-winning American actress.

Dukakis was born in Lowell, Massachusetts to Alexandra Christos and Constantine Dukakis, Greek immigrants to the United States.
, the large and talented Scandinavian cast of ``Jerusalem'' is led by newcomers or veterans unfamiliar to domestic audiences. But those who fall under the film's spell will be rewarded with a romantic tragedy that illuminates an obscure bit of history with rich characterizations and moral conflicts.

The main thrust of the narrative concerns the unrealized love of Ingmar (Ulf Friberg), a young farmer whose inheritance is stolen, and his childhood sweetheart Gertrud (Maria Bonnevie Maria Bonnevie (b. September 26, 1973) is a Norwegian-Swedish actress. Born in Västerås, Sweden, she grew up in Oslo, Norway. Her parents, both actors, are the Norwegian actress Jannik Bonnevie and Swedish actor Per Waldvik. ), who falls under the spell of a charismatic preacher (Sven-Bertil Taube).

Standing in their way is Ingmar's insensitive sister Karin (Pernilla August Pernilla August (born Mia Pernilla Wallgren, February 13, 1958 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish actress.

August started acting during her childhood in theater and at school. Her professional acting career started in 1979 when she began studying acting.
), who survives a bad marriage with a drunken thief (he stole the money Ingmar needed to purchase the family property). When Karin leads many of the townspeople in embracing a strict religious movement, she turns the farm into a kind of commune.

Eventually, the religious rebels ignore family ties and make plans to emigrate em·i·grate  
intr.v. em·i·grat·ed, em·i·grat·ing, em·i·grates
To leave one country or region to settle in another. See Usage Note at migrate.
 to the Holy Land. Although he loves Gertrud, Ingmar marries a rich woman and gets the farm back. In one of many ironic developments, it's revealed too late that Gertrud had found the missing inheritance.

The story then follows the fates of Gertrud and Karin when they travel to Palestine and take up with a cult headed by a stern ``model'' Christian (Dukakis). More tragedy ensues, and the conclusion has a few genuine surprises.

THE FACTS

The film: ``Jerusalem'' (PG-13; some violence and a scene of sensuality).

The stars: Ulf Friberg, Maria Bonnevie, Pernilla August, Reine Brynolfsson, Lena Endre Lena Endre (b. 8 July, 1955) is a Swedish actress. She was born in Lidingö, Stockholm County, and grew up in Härnösand, Ångermanland and Trollbäcken, Tyresö. She had her breakthrough in the Swedish TV-series Varuhuset och Lorry in the 1980s. , Jan Mybrand, Sven-Bertil Taube.

Behind the scenes: Written and directed by Bille August; based on the novel by Selma Lagerlof.

Running time: Two hours, 46 minutes.

Playing: Selected theaters.

Our rating: Three Stars.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Maria Bonnevie portrays Gertrude, who falls under the religious spell of a charismatic preacher in Bille August's ``Jerusalem.''
COPYRIGHT 1997 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1997, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Title Annotation:L.A. LIFE
Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Article Type:Movie Review
Date:Mar 7, 1997
Words:418
Previous Article:`PRIVATE PARTS' A CINEMATIC TRIUMPH FOR STERN.
Next Article:HIP-HOP SCRAPBOOK `RHYME AND REASON' A LETDOWN.
Topics:



Related Articles
Epic and Empire: Politics and Generic Form from Virgil to Milton.
The Choice of Achilles: The Ideology of Figure in the Epic.
History and Warfare in Renaissance Epic.
Great pilgrimages.
Rocks of ages: a pilgrim's progress.
End of the innocence.
CARRYING OUT A SLOW, MOROSE AFFAIR.
GRACEFUL MOVES + LOVE STORY = POETRY IN MOTION.
BERGMAN'S SHOES FIT ULLMANN IN 'FAITHLESS'.

Terms of use | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles