The idea behind this film isn't bad. The problem for me is that the film never seemed very convincing to me--mostly because the characters acted too dumb and too one-dimensional during much of the film. It's a shame...it had a basic idea that was good and was likable in some ways.
The film begins with what you think are two Norwegian women arriving in America to marry mail order husbands. However, one has arrived for a man who has rescinded his offer and the other isn't Norwegian--despite her ability to speak the language. She is, in fact, German--a rather unpopular thing to be in 1920 considering that WWI recently ended. While it IS true that there was lots of discrimination against German-Americans during the war (including riots), the reaction of the townsfolk seemed ridiculously overdone. First, the minister refused to marry her and her fiancé. Then, she is ostracized. Finally, after moving in with her fiancé (as she has no place else to go), she is attacked from the pulpit for living with an unmarried man--though HE refused to marry them. I just couldn't buy it--and also felt it was just a clichéd attack on ministers (an easy target for some filmmakers). What also bothered me was how DUMB everyone but the woman seemed to be. No one seemed to have the least notion that they should teach the woman English or how to do it. Speaking loudly or telling her the wrong names for animals were a few examples of how this rural town in Minnesota seemed to be inhabited by idiots alone. Yes, there must have been a serious language barrier, but the notion NO ONE in Minnesota could speak Norwegian (Minnesota was settled by the Swedes and Norwegians--many of which would have been first generation back in 1920) seems ludicrous. And, while Germans weren't super-popular, you'd think someone would know more than two or three words of the language. Minnesotans are not dumb people--but here, they are narrow-minded and just plain stupid.
"Sweet Land" could have been so much better had there been a few small changes. First, there is no sense of humor and the film is just too grim and slow. I am NOT talking about inserting Don Rickles into the film but it was just so dreadfully serious--and life is not that grim unless you live in a gulag! Second, the characters needed depth and likability. Only Inga (the German lady) was likable but that was also a problem because it painted everything in a black and white swath. I just couldn't get into this film, though I tried.
The film begins with what you think are two Norwegian women arriving in America to marry mail order husbands. However, one has arrived for a man who has rescinded his offer and the other isn't Norwegian--despite her ability to speak the language. She is, in fact, German--a rather unpopular thing to be in 1920 considering that WWI recently ended. While it IS true that there was lots of discrimination against German-Americans during the war (including riots), the reaction of the townsfolk seemed ridiculously overdone. First, the minister refused to marry her and her fiancé. Then, she is ostracized. Finally, after moving in with her fiancé (as she has no place else to go), she is attacked from the pulpit for living with an unmarried man--though HE refused to marry them. I just couldn't buy it--and also felt it was just a clichéd attack on ministers (an easy target for some filmmakers). What also bothered me was how DUMB everyone but the woman seemed to be. No one seemed to have the least notion that they should teach the woman English or how to do it. Speaking loudly or telling her the wrong names for animals were a few examples of how this rural town in Minnesota seemed to be inhabited by idiots alone. Yes, there must have been a serious language barrier, but the notion NO ONE in Minnesota could speak Norwegian (Minnesota was settled by the Swedes and Norwegians--many of which would have been first generation back in 1920) seems ludicrous. And, while Germans weren't super-popular, you'd think someone would know more than two or three words of the language. Minnesotans are not dumb people--but here, they are narrow-minded and just plain stupid.
"Sweet Land" could have been so much better had there been a few small changes. First, there is no sense of humor and the film is just too grim and slow. I am NOT talking about inserting Don Rickles into the film but it was just so dreadfully serious--and life is not that grim unless you live in a gulag! Second, the characters needed depth and likability. Only Inga (the German lady) was likable but that was also a problem because it painted everything in a black and white swath. I just couldn't get into this film, though I tried.