Gabriel, Come Back

In this silent Finnish film by Valentin Vaala, master violist Antti Larto (Teuvo Tulio) rounds around Europe by performing and spending all his free time in restaurants. While he is visiting in Finland, he leaves with his friend Eero (Kaarlo Penttilä) for country and stays in the inn of Harakkala. Anton falls in love with country girl named Kirsi but soon one of his lady friends, Tanja, arrives from Paris...

The story is based on the novel by Jalmari Finne and features real historical figures Arvid Tandefelt and Brita Ekestubbe as protagonists. In 17th century Finland, the young Arvid is forced to marry the little Brita but their ways soon part when their respective fathers move to different places. Years roll by and Arvid (now played by Olavi Reimas) grows up into a handsome and respected Thirty Years' War veteran known for his excellent fencing skills. However, he has fallen madly in love with a local maiden who does not reciprocate his advances, not to mention that his forced marriage to Brita (Sirkka Sari) is still valid. With his new practically-minded servant Kustaa (Vilho Auvinen) and a romance-hungry woman Johanna (Kerttu Salmi), Arvid travels to meet Brita in order to get a divorce but love has other plans for the originally reluctant couple.

The romantic musical comedy Kaikki rakastavat is a key work in Finnish film history since it was the first feature film of Valentin Vaala as the house director of Suomi-Filmi and the film which launched the most beloved screen couple of Finland, Tauno Palo and Ansa Ikonen. - Antti Alanen

Finnish comedy from the 50's

Miss Hothead, based on Valtonen's novel "The Teacher's Wildcat", is situated in Savonia. There we find the young law student Anna Tipuli Pusu (Joutseno), who in spite of her name (punningly translated as "Miss Anna Der Kiss", i.e. "Miss, Another Kiss") is not the kissing kind. She is determined to become a pianist, given that the handsome "boy next door", Erkki Erä (Tapio Nurkka), is a talented violinist. Anna is smitten with Erkki, who however has known her for too long to seriously consider her as a candidate for marriage.

Valentin Vaala's film from 1937.

A compilation of excerpts from old Helsinki-themed documentaries and new material.