Frans "Mussu" Koikkalainen wants to buy a dairy shop nearby, because he has loved milk ever since he was a little child.The only problem is he doesn't have enough money for it.He has inherited some from his dead uncle, but he still is short of cash.Why not get a job? He goes to a big department store in Helsinki, called Sampo.But the work he gets to do there isn't the most traditional one.He has to work as a patsy, the one who takes all the complaints from the customers.Irja Salo, saleswoman of the cosmetic department comes up with this job.She has to take many complaints from the customers.Irja starts having a romance with a travelling salesman, Herbert Vaara, not knowing this man actually runs this store.Koikkalainen is fed up of taking the complaints from customers and tries to get himself fired, which seems to be a hard job to do.Syntipukki (1957) is directed by Matti Kassila.He was also writing the screenplay with actor Hannes Häyrinen, who does a very nice job as janitor Miettinen.The uncredited member of the writing staff is Ritva Arvelo.The movie is based on the play by Agapetus.The first version of this movie was seen in 1935.Lasse Pöysti's performance as Koikkalainen makes this film really funny.His character is very naive man, and in his autobiography Pöysti calls himself naive.Naivety of this character makes him most sympathetic.Marjatta Kallio shows us her comedic talents as Irja Salo.Rolf Labbart's work as Herbert Vaara is also funny.Toivo Mäkelä is terrific as Lasse Aro.And so is Hilkka Helinä as Mrs. Aro.Aino Mantsas plays Adviser.Tuija Halonen is Baby.Mirjam Himberg is Miss Ström.Uljas Kandolin portrays Taxi driver.Leo Jokela is Thief, who in the end goes to ask for a job at the department store.Mai-Britt Heljo plays Marianne.Saara Raninis her aunt.Pentti Irjala is Drunk.Leni Katajakoski is Woman in the elevator.Tommi Rinne is Police officer.Laila Rihte, who was also seen in the original movie, plays Customer.Leo Riuttu works as the narrator.The movie has the most brilliant start.It's done in the manners of a silent film, only the narrator is heard.There are Koikkalainen and his mother discussing about his future.And then off he goes to the big wide world, with a tear in his eye.He waves goodbye to his mother, waves to the dairy shop girl.He asks the policeman where the department store is, and he shows it's up there.It's all very hilarious, and Pöysti shows us he could have been a rival to Chaplin or Keaton, if he had born a little earlier and in America.And when we hear him talk, it's also something very funny.It's funny to look at his first efforts at the department store to ask for the job, and he gets in a miff with Häyrinen's Miettinen.Also the phone gag is funny.Irja answers the phone and hears this woman's gabble.Miettinen puts the handset down and then picks it up again and the gabble is still heard.Watch this movie, if you want to have a little laugh.
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