Roinila and Ojala are two neighbouring farms in western Finland. The old master of Ojala has died and since he apparently left no will, his inheritance is going to his slick but feeble nephew Olli (Kaarlo Kartio). The people at Roinila would prefer to just mind their own business, but Olli's advances to the daughter of the house Anna (Rauni Luoma) cause unrest in the community: Anna actually loves the estate manager Mauno (Toivo Palomurto) and her brother Eero (Eero Eloranta) loves a girl named Elli (Laila Rihte) who might be entitled to Ojala's inheritance if only the missing will could be found. Of course, the down-to-earth workers of the farm have their own romantic interests in the summery nights too.
The style is primarily comedic, although the troubled romance of Mauno and Anna could also work in a more serious film. Visually the film looks very good: the cinematography and scenery lit by the midnight sun are great at best. The shots depicting the rising sun over the horizon, fishermen at a calm lake and local youths having fun with a swing are all a joy to the eye.
The over-enthusiastic acting may seem a little jarring at first, but soon it starts feeling like an essential part of the movie's charm. Many of the over-the-top comedic scenes, such as Mauno manhandling Olli with a tablecloth or the recurring joke of Eero having trouble with his hand hygiene, are outright hilarious and the supporting characters like an old sailor Matti (Hemmo Kallio), a gossip lady Sanna (Kaisu Puuska) and a farm maid Leena (Kaija Suonio) are excellent in their exaggerated roles. I also want to give an extra nod of approval to Laila Rihte; her Elli is very lovable in all her emotionality.
Over all, the movie was a positive surprise to me thanks to the visuals and funny actors. I recommend Roinilan talossa to anyone who likes old Finnish films – in the genre of silly rom-coms it achieves what it was going for and provides good old-fashioned entertainment.
The style is primarily comedic, although the troubled romance of Mauno and Anna could also work in a more serious film. Visually the film looks very good: the cinematography and scenery lit by the midnight sun are great at best. The shots depicting the rising sun over the horizon, fishermen at a calm lake and local youths having fun with a swing are all a joy to the eye.
The over-enthusiastic acting may seem a little jarring at first, but soon it starts feeling like an essential part of the movie's charm. Many of the over-the-top comedic scenes, such as Mauno manhandling Olli with a tablecloth or the recurring joke of Eero having trouble with his hand hygiene, are outright hilarious and the supporting characters like an old sailor Matti (Hemmo Kallio), a gossip lady Sanna (Kaisu Puuska) and a farm maid Leena (Kaija Suonio) are excellent in their exaggerated roles. I also want to give an extra nod of approval to Laila Rihte; her Elli is very lovable in all her emotionality.
Over all, the movie was a positive surprise to me thanks to the visuals and funny actors. I recommend Roinilan talossa to anyone who likes old Finnish films – in the genre of silly rom-coms it achieves what it was going for and provides good old-fashioned entertainment.
