A visually stunning Swedish film that tells the story of a woman, faithful to her brutally abusive husband, and who finds a creative outlet in taking photographs. The story is told with a voice over from the eldest daughter as a remembrance of her parents' marriage. Maria Larsson (Maria Heiskanen) falls for the big,
strong Sigfrid, or Sigge (Mikael Persbrandt), and marries him. After several children, she discovers a camera she had won as a girl. With the family down on its luck, she tries to pawn it, at a photographers shop, only to have the proprietor, Sebastien Pedersen (Jesper Christensen), talk her into trying her hand at photography. The interplay between the leads was carefully nuanced. We saw the mutual admiration that developed between the photographer, Sebastien, and his protege, and the jealousy of her husband. We saw the poverty that the family lived in, and yet also the joy that they shared over simple pleasures. We saw the frustration of a man who knew he was a poor provider. We saw his conflict over fulfilling his familial obligations and his moral weakness as evidenced by his taking a mistress. There were scenes of incredible beauty, lovingly framed and beautifully acted. There were scenes of unspeakable brutality exacerbated by Sigge's thirst for the demon rum (or Slivovitz, or whatever it was that he drank) and his guilt. But through it all, it was the strength and decency of Maria that kept this viewer enthralled. At something over two hours, this film requires an investment, but that proves well worth the effort. We cannot begin to understand what kept Maria going through the rough patches, but one's admiration for her never wavers. There is wonder here in the midst of the squalor, light shining on the darkest places, and hope, springing eternal.
November 5, 2009
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