Red-125 Utvandrarna and Nybyggarna The Swedish film Utvandrarna was shown in the U.S. with the title The Emigrants (1971). The film Nybyggarna was shown with the title The New Land (1972). Both movies were co-written and directed by Jan Troell. Troell was also the cinematographer and the editor of both. (Sounds crazy, but he did it.) The films are actually one long film, broken in half so that each could be seen separately. As can be guessed from the titles, the first film sets up the plot by showing us that, despite intelligence and hard work, many families couldn't make a living on the small plots of land in Sweden. The second film follows the family from Sweden to the United States. The situation for them in the U.S. isn't that much better when they arrive, but they have reasonable hope that they will succeed. Max von Sydow plays the husband, Karl Oskar, and Liv Ullmann plays his wife, Kristina. Both are extraordinarily talented. In addition, Von Sydow is handsome, and Ullmann is impossibly beautiful. The remainder of the cast is strong, and the acting by the children is wonderful. These movies will work better on the large screen, but we had to settle for the small screen. Both films carry very high IMDb rating of 8.0. I gave each a 10.

furienna Before you read this, you should read my comment for "Utvandrarna" ("The emigrants"). You should also watch the first movie before you watch this one. But let's start with this comment now, shall we? This movie is based on two novels by Vilhelm Moberg: "Nybyggarna" ("The new settlers") and "Sista brevet till Sverige" ("The last letter to Sweden"). The emigrants from Småland in Sweden have now settled down in Minnesota in America. This movie starts in the 1850s and end in the 1890s. Kristina never really adjusts to her new home in America and always misses her beloved Sweden. Her husband Karl Oskar on the other hand has no regrets. After all, aren't they richer now than anybody they knew in Sweden, and aren't their children going to have a better life now? Kristina's uncle Danjel and his family can't have any regrets either. After all, they don't have to fear the prosecution from the Church of Sweden anymore. Robert and Arvid go to California to join the Gold rush. But things don't turn out as good as they would liked too... But no character from the previous movie becomes as rich and successful as the former prostitute Ulrika. And the saga can continue...

MartinHafer This is an important movie historically, though many will also find it very slow going and a bit boring. While this IS true, the life of the average immigrant of this time was ALSO quite boring, so to keep the movie as an accurate representation of the Swedish-American experience, it is awfully low-key to say the least. The acting, like the average Swedish immigrant, is very restrained and understated. Again, they were seeking absolute realism and got it. However, while I generally enjoyed this SLOW tale, I found the part when von Sydow's brother returned to be very poorly executed. Instead of a narrative, it was shown through cloudy dreams and confusing snippets--and TOTALLY derailed the movie until this segment was completed. I really can't understand why they chose to change the pacing, focus and perspective of the film so abruptly. Well, fortunately, after this brother dies, the film gets back on track. Not a great film, as it's too slow to interest all but the biggest historians and cinephiles and the segment with the brother just didn't ring true. However, its importance as a realistic portrayal of the immigrant experience is great.

Jim Colyer The New Land is a sequel to the 1971 Swedish film, The Emigrants. Karl Oskar and Kristina begin their new life in Minnesota. It is not easy in America. The immigrants clear the land and build cabins. We see in Kristina's face that she misses Sweden. Kristina and the prostitute, Ulrika, are friends now. Ulrika models her new hat. Robert and Arvid set off to dig for gold in California. Liv Ullmann as Kristina is beautiful, her long golden hair down on her shoulders. More Swedes arrive in Minnesota. Karl Oskar plows his fields. Robert returns a broken man. The Civil War is fought. Indians threaten. Kristina finally pines away in the new land. Karl Oskar lives out his life. The sense of mission in the first film gives way to the drama of everyday life.