RONJA, THE ROBBER'S DAUGHTER

Sweden/Norway, 1984, 90 minutes, Colour.
Hanna Zetterberg, Dan Hofstrom, Per Oscarssen.
Directed by Tage Danielsson.

Ronja, the Robber's Daughter is a delightful mediaeval story for family audiences and for children. It is beautifully photographed with wonderful Swedish forest settings. There are also some excellent special effects for the castle, for strange creatures who roam the forests, for battles.

The film shows genial robbers and their way of life in remote areas and times. However, the film focuses on two ll-year-olds - in a Romeo and Juliet way. However, the ending is happy and the two rival robber families are united. The film is based on a story by noted children's author Astrid Lindgren.

1. Popular entertainment? Mediaeval folklore: ballad, serious, fun, the world of the fairy and imagination?

2. The quality of the re-creation of Sweden in the Middle Ages? The castle: exteriors and interiors, atmosphere? Forests and the beauty of nature, magic, sinister? The passing of the seasons?

3. The songs, the ballads, the dancing? Music and drama?

4. The traditions of mediaeval stories and legends? The Swedish mystique? The universal appeal? The focus on the children and their appeal?

5. The variations on the Romeo and Juliet theme? The young boy and girl, their friendship, their love for each other. the rival families, the unhappiness, the happy resolution?

6. The opening of the film with the robbers and the landscapes. their singing? The night of Ronja's birth: the people involved, Mattis and his concern about his wife, Lovis and her preparation for the birth? The upheaval in nature with the storm? The splitting of the rock? The rejoicing and the sense of destiny? The announcing of Ronja's birth? The contrast with the birth of Borkas's son?

7. The robbers' way of life e.g. the robbery along the forest path (and the Princess singing and then screaming)? The acrobatics? The robbers at work, their comradeship. meals in the castle, songs and dances. men and women? Ronja and her place in this household? Summer and the beauty of the countryside, winter and the humour of the delousing? Joy? Sorrow? The similarity of lifestyle for Mattis's family. Borkas's family?

8. Ronja and her spirit, her charm, her age, her being tested for survival in the forest, her being at home, overcoming the dangers? Her meeting with Birk? Their clashes? The rival jumping across the gap? Ronja saving his life with the strand? The friendship and love, sister and brother? Their meetings, the discovery of the tunnel? out in the forest and enjoying themselves? Birk being caught. the confrontations between the families? Ronja leaping the gap? The exchange? Her being disowned by her father? Her leaving home, with Birk. the bear's cave? Innocence and joy, clashes and arguments about the knife, the food, the messenger with the bread, saving the horses, the riding, the swimming? Lovis's visit? Mattis and his plea? The happy reconciliation? Acknowledgement of Birk? Their both deciding they would not be robbers? The delightful story of a young boy and girl? The finale with the summer - and the joyful scream and cry of spring and hope?

9. Mattis and Lovis and their lifestyle, Mattis as leader, an emotional man, boisterous, throwing things, fighting? Clash with Birk? Disowning his daughter? His grief? The visit to the cave? The uniting of families against the sheriff and his men? The fight with Borkas and his winning? The place of Noddle Pete in the castle. the sadness of his death? His love for Lovis? Her running the household? The comparisons with Borkas and his wife and their lifestyle?

10. Noddle Pete - the old man. the fool, the wise man? His jokes, earthiness? Love for Ronja? The timing of his death?

11. The magic in the forest - sinister and wonderful? The harpies and their attack, the sinister grey dwarves. the happy goblins?

12. A mediaeval world and the audience invited in to experience it?