The read
It runs long at 2h 35m.
Synopsis
This biographical film celebrates the little-known life of the Finnish novelist and revolutionary Maiju Lassila (Asko Sarkola), born in 1868. Lassila's early years are briefly shown, then the film richly details his active and paradoxically reclusive adult life, beginning with his sojourn in St. Petersburg, working as a businessman. Unable to stay away from politics, he caused the assassination of a high-ranking Czarist and as a result, had to run back to Finland to hide. Once established in the comparative safety of a small village, he taught school in order to support his real vocation as a writer. Always living on the edge of poverty, if not square in the middle of it, Lassila continues to avoid public contact - he keeps his identity low-key and camoflages it by publishing under a variety of pseudonyms.
Ratings
7 audience votes
Key crew
- Pirjo HonkasaloDirector
- Pekka LehtoDirector
- Pirjo HonkasaloScreenplay
- Heikki ValpolaOriginal Music Composer
Cast
- Asko SarkolaWriter Algot Lassila, aka Maiju Lassila, aka Irmari Rantamala
- Rea MauranenOlga Esempio
- Kari FranckGunnar Avanto
- Ari SuonsuuKalle
- Ritva JuhantoKurttuska
- Esko SalminenArwid
- Heikki AlhoPikku-Pouvali
- Tuomo RailoSulo Esempio
- Yuri RodionovRawitz
- Galina GaltsevaMagda
- Soli LabbartMaria Lassila
- Pirkka KarskelaYoung Algot