Juha

Kaurismaki's movies are largely dialogue-free, so a silent film is not that big a stretch. I would guess that it's meant to evoke classic melodramas like Sunrise and The Wind; not comic enough to be a parody, more like a light-hearted tribute. It doesn't add up to much more than its concept, and I would have to call it a minor curiosity in Kaurismaki's career. But it's enjoyable enough (and short enough) to sit through, due in large part to yet another winning performance from Kati Outinen.

It's a well-worn plot, but Kaurismaki makes it interesting by stripping it down to really preposterously basic dialogue and turning it into a black-and-white silent film, which is weirdly fitting.

worth a watch

Respecting the tradition of early cinema while being an interestingly modern take on the 1911 source. Entertaining and pretty to look at but feels a bit lightweight.

could've made it's point quicker, but still a well made film with some very nice main performances.

This was indeed a special experience. Not knowing anything else than that I wanted to see hopefully yet another great Kaurismäki film, I ended up with this: a pretty week story about a country girl lured away to the big city just to break her husbands heart and ruin her own life. Humourously told, and here it comes: it's a silent film! Aki paraphrases the old times superbly and manages to mark the film as undoubtedly HIS. Impressive piece. Weak story though, and music annoying at many times.