'Song of the City Outskirts'
Laitakaupungin laulu (Sången från gränden)
Le chanson de la banlieue (French title)
Vorstadtlied (German title)

Available on DVD (rel. 08/2005)

Finland 1948 B/W 73min Oy Suomen Filmiteollisuus

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Crime

cast: Tauno Palo (Jukka Kyrö), Ella Eronen (Juudit), Ansa Ikonen (Helmi Heino), Aku Korhonen (blind Hanski), Mirjam Novero (Aliina Kyrö), Arvo Lehesmaa (Frans Byman), Wilho Ilmari, Elna Hellman, Veli-Matti (Reino), Jalmari Rinne, Rauha Rentola (Esteri), Helge Ranin (doctor), Aarne Laine, Topo Leistelä, Tarmo Manni, Martti Katajisto
credits: dir. Edvin Laine, music Heikki Aaltoila, prod. T.J. Särkkä

The title screams: this is a musical! But... This is more film noir and comedy than a musical . It's a story of poor people who try to help each other to survive in the cold world. Although the cast is good and everybody are acting like they are not there where they are (in a Finnish film studio), the reality shines through the staging. Looks old, sounds old, smells old.

TRIVIA: Both Aku Korhonen and Elna Hellman won Jussi prize (Finnish Oscar) from this film.
TRIVIA#2: Juudit was Ella Eronen's last film role.

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