Schamyl Bauman Movies

When the subject of the great Swedish films comes up, the title Saltstänk och krutgubbar is seldom invoked. Even so, this "slice of life" comedy pleased the crowd in 1946, and should do the same today. Most of the story takes place on a tiny Swedish island just a few miles from Stockholm, with the amorous adventures of one islander (Sigurd Wallen) setting the plot in motion. The director of photography was newcomer Sven Nykvist, who later achieved international renown for his work in the films of Ingmar Bergman. The English-language title of Saltstänk och krutgubbar is Gay Old Time -- not quite a literal translation, but it will suffice. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on Laura Fitinghoff's novel Children on the Moor, this Swedish drama concentrates on a group of seven orphans. Slated to be shipped off to the poorhouse, the kids decide to take to the road to seek out new parents--and a proper owner for their pet goat. Gradually, each child is adopted into a loving home, but there are plenty of obstacles along the way, notably the treacherous Swedish climate. The best vignette concerns an elderly cobbler (John Ericcson) who, though rumored to be a human monster, displays his true nature when the children come into his life. Wisely, director Rolf Husberg plays away from gooey sentimentality, though neither he nor his actors are ashamed of good, honest sentiment. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Karl for Sin Hatt (The Man of the Forest) was the brainchild of the prolific Hasse Ekman, who wrote both screenplay and story. Adolf Jahr essays the title character, a roughneck lumberjack named Ole Hansson. When beautiful heiress Gun (Birgit Tengroth) gets lost during a snowstorm, she takes refuge in Ole's humble shack. Falling in love with Ole, Gun takes him back with her to the big city (Stockholm, that is) to meet her family and become accustomed to the ways of civilization. In other words, it's Crocodile Dundee, Swedish style. Emil Fjellstrom performs the comedy-relief duties as the heroine's gouty-but-lovable uncle. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Old Titans Are Still Here is the literally-translated title of this Swedish comedy. The popular Edvard Persson plays country storekeeper Napoleon Petersson, whose well-ordered lifestyle is upset when he moves to the Big City at the insistence of his nouveau-riche children. Almost immediately, Petersson gets into hot water when it appears that he's been "coming on" to a pretty young miss. When this misunderstanding is cleared up, our hero finds himself engaged in a boxing match with the burly trainer hired to get him into top physical condition. Finally, Petersson is permitted to return home, with his repentant grown children tagging along. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The title of this Swedish romantic comedy translates as Larsson's Second Marriage. Edvard Persson stars as a henpecked husband whose daughter Birgit Rosengren is the flirtatious sort. Faithful in her fashion to her fiancee, Birgit nonetheless bats her big blue eyes at anyone in pants. Meanwhile, the fiancee's father is in love with Persson's female business partner. Somehow, everyone else's peccadilloes result in disaster for poor Persson, who must spend the last scenes in the picture trying to get back in the good graces of his shrewish wife. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi