Pelle Erobreren (1987)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 157 minuten
Alternative titles: Pelle the Conqueror / Pelle Erövraren
Country:
Denmark / Sweden
Directed by: Bille August
Stars: Pelle Hvenegaard, Max von Sydow and Erik Paaske
IMDb score:
7,7 (12.599)
Releasedate: 21 December 1987
Pelle Erobreren plot
The end of the 19th century. A boat filled with Swedish emigrants arrives at Bornholm, Denmark. Among the travelers are also Lasse and Pelle who want to look for work in Denmark. They find work on a large farm but are treated inhumanely. Although Pelle speaks Danish, he is still not taken for granted. But they don't want to give up on their dream of a better life.
Actors and actresses
Pelle Karlsson
Lasse Karlsson - Farmhand
Stengården Foreman
Erik - Swedish Farm Worker
Mrs. Kongstrup
Kongstrup - Kungsgården Landlord
Rud - A Boy
Anna - Stengården Maid
Madam Olsen
Miss Sine - Mrs. Kongstrup's Niece
Reviews & comments
Spetie
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- 38871 messages
- 8251 votes
A fine film, which, thanks to the beautiful setting, is worth watching alone. The Danish landscape, which is calm and summery one moment, alternates with images of a sometimes wild and wintery landscape. What is also interesting is the discrimination topic. To an outsider, Denmark and Sweden sound almost the same, but in this case the Danes discriminated against the Swedes because of their origin was completely unknown to me.
Max von Sydow, who has been an actor for decades, delivers a fine role here, as Pelle's father, who has his dreams and ideals, but seems unable to realize them in Denmark. Farm life seems attractive, but it turns out to be extremely hard work. The film reflects this well and in the story the characters are also given a reasonable opportunity to develop. The story is otherwise quite linear and never really becomes very exciting or surprising and that is also the only major drawback.
Overall, Pelle Erobreren is a nice watch. The cinematography is certainly not bad and the story is quite interesting from start to finish. Also nice, by the way, to discover a role by the then very young Sofie Gråbøl (Sarah Lund).
3.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Alathir
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- 2133 messages
- 1638 votes
At first I thought this was going to be a kind of White of Shechem, but also a Swedish way. Pelle may have some tricks sometimes, but not nearly as natural as De Witte. The film is more about the hopelessness of some people. Once you get old, it becomes more difficult to do anything. Pelle is still young and his father is holding him back somewhere. The fact that he and his father migrated from Sweden to Denmark also causes derogatory looks here and there.
Max von Sydow recently passed away and although I knew him by name, it wasn't for very long. He's usually not in mainstream films and that's where most people stick with it. I sometimes watch European cinema, but I think I'm only at the beginning stages. When people say that I have already seen a lot of films, I think: that is not true at all, there is still so much to discover.
So, among other things. von Sydow his oeuvre. A man with a face that you will not soon forget and certainly a talented actor.
This is my 10th Bille August film but it is nowhere near his best (in my opinion). The film contains too few memorable moments for that. It remains very mundane (bullying, exploitation, love affairs, etc.).
Translated from Dutch · View original
knusse stoel
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- 3292 messages
- 4358 votes
Pelle Erobreren, a boy who emigrates from Sweden to Denmark with his visibly older father Lasse and, through his father's stories, expects that the streets in Denmark are gold, that food and shelter are a right and that you don't have to do anything for it. The only thing expected of you is that people know you are there because then they can bake an extra loaf of bread for you every day in the bakery.
And that's how it always goes with immigrants throughout history, people think that everything is shiny and possible in their new homeland. The Irish who fled the potatoes, the farmers from the Netherlands who believed that the land was free in Northern America and the current economic refugees from Morocco and Tunisia.
It will probably always remain that way, man is an opportunist and, as long as he has not been there, continues to fantasize how good it is elsewhere!
Our Pelle soon discovers that it is hard to live and work in his new home with their employer farmer Kongstrup, a gruff and unfriendly farmer. Someone who, even at Christmas, gives his workers the same service as he does all year round; herring!
Personally, I appreciate these kinds of film stories, it gives us a glimpse into a time that many of us fortunately no longer know; work hard and suffer while there is always a spark of hope for a better life. Pelle also fantasizes a better future with his new friend Erik, they will go to America, then to Australia and the fantasy includes China as the last country. Would they really go?
A nice film with people from a "simple" background who are well played by the crew and experience some things in their difficult lives but still have their happy moments.
From me, "Pelle Erobreren" gets an 8!
Translated from Dutch · View original
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