Here Is Your Life (1966)

Här har du ditt liv (1966)

Length of film: 169 Minutes

Rated: 15

Genre: Drama

Director: Jan Troell

Starring: Eddie Axberg, Allan Edwall, Max von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand, Gudrun Brost, Ulla Akelson

IMDB Rank: 7.3 /10

Part 1 Time: 97 Minutes

Part 2 Time: 72 Minutes

***Not officially released in VHS format, the film was released on both DVD and Blu-Ray by the Criterion Collection.

Where does the first part end? Olof Persson (Eddie Axberg) tells Lundgren (Gunnar Björnstrand) he is no longer interested in selling candy at the cinema following an accident.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “You can be an usher. Forslund is leaving us. Go clean yourself up,” states Lundgren.

First line of dialogue on the second part: In a meeting with Lundgren and Mr. Larsson (Åke Fridell) Olof is offered a new job, “So, now you’re going to be a projectionist,” states Lundgren.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal, Olof is frustrated with his job selling candy and looks for a promotion. It seems Lundgren is ready to give Olof his promotion.

Which part is better? Throughout the film Olof continues to adapt to his changing environment by taking on new jobs to sustain himself and his family. Each job becomes a stepping stone in his life as he not only gains a better understanding of himself, but also obtains skills he can transfer to better working class jobs. Part one is given a slight edge as Olof’s character seems to grow the most during this period, as he is influenced by characters such as Fredrik (Stig Törnblom) and Smålands-Pelle (Max von Sydow) who teach Olof the importance of one’s physical presentation and mental acuity.

Academy Awards: None