EVERLASTING MOMENTS
Sweden, 2008, 111 minutes, Colour.
Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Kristensen.
Directed by Jan Troell.
This is the kind of fine film that is described these days as classical. Jan Troell is now in his late 70s. His international peak came in the first part of the 1970s with his Oscar-nominated epic, The Emigrants, which was followed by The New Land and Zandy's Bride. Everlasting Moments was Sweden's nomination for the 2008 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and was in the final ten nominations.
Troell serves as a cameraman on this films, so the subject, both Sweden itself and photography in the early 20th century must have appealed to him.
This is quite a melancholic film. The subject is a working class girl,who has worked as a maid, Maria (a beautifully dignified performance from Maria Heiskanen). She wins a camera in a competition and her young man wants to have it. She jokes that he can have it only if they marry. They do. She forgets about the camera until many years (and children) later.
Marriage is difficult and her husband (Mikael Persbrandt), a big and muscular man at the docks and other jobs, is also a drinker and, later, a womaniser (and one of those types who ingnores all personal responsibility and becomes suspicious of his wife's friendships). Maria would like to leave him but there is the poverty, the care of the children and her elderly father reminding her that what God has joined no one can tear asunder.
Discovering the camera again, she finds that she has a talent and an eye for photographs. Needless to say, her husband disapproves. However, she is encouraged by the gentleman who owns a camera shop (Jesper Christensen). They become good friends and she finds support in this friendship.
More pregnancies, World War I lingering over the years, her husband in military service, his return and his continued brutality...
The period, the poverty, the ethos of the times are all beautifully evoked, the colour palette rather sepia-imbued like the photographs of the time, the poses and framing like those photos as well.
The plot cannot help but be sad but for a patient and discerning audience, Everlasting Moments is well worth seeing.
1.A Swedish memoir? A particular period before World War One?
2.The re-creation of the period, the early 20th century, Sweden, the city, the towns, class distinctions, the rich and the poor, the workers?
3.Costumes and décor? The musical score?
4.The director and his love for photography? His career? The credits and the focus on the camera? The story of the camera, Maria winning it, marrying Sigfried? Her putting the camera away, finding it when they were poor, the strike, her decision to sell the camera? Meeting Mr Pedersen? His help, the material? Taking photos of the family? Her husband’s negative reaction? Photographing the dead little girl, the mother’s response, going into business? Love and skills? The photos, the clients, Christmas tableau? The money? Mr Pedersen, visits and his offer for her to be an assistant? Her reaction? Her putting the camera aside, the war experience, taking the photo of the kings, its appearing in the paper? Her children’s support? A short history of regional photography – leading to cinema? The screening, the audience enjoying Charlie Chaplin – with Mr Pedersen playing the violin?
5.The muted colour, the framing of the sequences – all like sepia and photos of the period? The title and the meaning of the photos?
6.Maria in herself, her background as a maid, marrying Sigfried, her hopes, her children? Domestic life, the lack of prospects? Working hard? Her husband’s work, behaviour, his violence, imprisonment? Her wanting to leave, being persuaded to stay? The reaction of the children? Her father and his insistence on the indissolubility of marriage? The camera as an escape? Sigfried’s reaction, the rape, her trying to effect an abortion? Her love for her child? Managing, the business? The war, Sigfried being away? The violence of his final attack? His imprisonment? The new house, prospects – and her sudden death?
7.Sigfried, marrying, a hard worker, big and strong, chosen for work, the details of life on the docks, the hard work, the fellow workers? Drinking? His wife and her reaction to his violence? His love for his children? His continued promises, the scenes of him breaking his promises? The strike, the English, his being associated with the attack, going to prison? The barmaid and her friendliness, going out with her, the sexual relationship? His own jealousy of his wife and Mr Pedersen?, his accusations? His spurning of the camera? Going to war, the effect of war, returning, resentments, the harsh attack on Maria, his going to prison? The experience of prison? His getting the better job, the company – and his wife’s death?
8.The children, the focus on the young girl, her point of view? Their life, hard times? The daughter and her going to be a maid? The older woman and her looking after her, the brother and his advances? Marie going to confront them?
9.Sigfried and the women, the barmaid mistress, her behaviour, attitude towards Maria?
10.The workers, the docks, the hard and heavy work, the bosses, strikes, the scabs coming from England?
11.Mr Pedersen, his shop, knowledge of cameras, kindness, interest in Maria, the commission, encouragement, the offer, the portrait in the shop window and Sigfried’s hostile reaction? Maria moving away, her return? His playing the violin in the cinema? The final visit, the talk, his moving to be with his family?
12.The humanity of the film despite its harsh context? A humane film?
