The Emigrants (1971)

The Emigrants (Utvandarna)
Directed by Jan Troell
Written by Bengt Forslund and Jan Troell from novels by Wilheim Moberg
1971/Sweden
IMDb page
First viewing/Amazon Prime rental

Robert: There are two kinds of folk in America. There are those who become rich because they’ve been here so long and there are some who have come so recently they haven’t had time to get rich.

The year is 1844. The place is a village in the province of Smaland, Sweden.  Karl Oskar (Max von Sydow) and Kristina (Liv Ullman) try to eke out a living for their growing young family.  The village elders control everything through a mixture of tradition and intimidation. Karl Oskar starts secretly dreaming of going to America. Seperately, his brother Robert has the same desire.  Kristina’s slightly dotty nonconformist uncle Danjel is ordered to stop preaching.  Things build to a head and the decision is made that the whole lot of them and assorted hangers on will emigrate to America. The main knowledge they have of their new homeland is the blissful descriptions of shipping advertisements. None speak English.

Nevertheless, they sell everything they own and set out on a a journey that will take several months and every type of transport known at the time.   It is an arduous and dangerous adventure.  The primary foe seems to be not other people, per se, but diseases and especially on the ship, terrible hygiene..  Kristina’s own health is complicated by her pregnancy.  Tempers flare but relationships survive.  And the adventure is just starting as the movie ends. (Fortunately, there is a sequel The New Land (1972).)

I loved this one.  The sheer bravery of the immigrants has always inspired me and this is just a lovely, but realistic story of one family that was part of of the great stream that made America what it is today.  Ullmann and von Sydow are just great together here, so tender.  And beautiful use is made of the northern forest on both sides of the pond. Fantastic usage also of the many faces from all lands who come together on the ship.  This film made me want to watch the sequel immediately and I warmly recommend it.

The Emigrants was Oscar-nominated for Best Picture; Best Foreign Language Film (in consecutive years); Best Actress; Best Director; and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material.

The movie is great.  You would not know it by watching this dubbed and lugubrious trailer