The harshness of life for immigrant agricultural labourers in 19th century Scandinavia is the subject matter of this film by one-time Bergman acolyte Bille August; and in places, it's every bit as depressing as it sounds, though livened by moments of black humour. Pelle, a young boy, is supported by, but increasing supports, his aged, and somewhat self-pitying father; the dynamic of their relationship is nicely conveyed, although the semi-idiot status of all the peasantry limits the subtlety of what can be conveyed. While it's welcome to see a costume drama that engages in no prettifying, personally I preferred August's 'The Best Intentions', based (in fact) on Bergman's early life, whose middle class setting provided a more sophisticated take on the nature of hardship.
Review of Pelle the Conqueror
