Title: Sweet Land

Year Released/Rating: 2005 PG

Starring: Elizabeth Reaser, Tim Guinee, Alan Cumming, Alex Kingston

Directed By: Ali Selim

Written By: Ali Selim, Will Weaver

Genre: Drama, Romance

Star Rating: 5/5 stars

Where I Got It: I own it

Trivia:

Most of the Norwegian and German was not scripted, but made up by the actors during filming and is gibberish.
Elizabeth Reasers' Norwegian pronunciation was so bad that after Dagbladet (one of Norway's biggest news-papers) stumbled upon this film, they posted a clip from it with the title "What is she trying to say?"

Summary: In 1920, Inge, a German national, travels from Norway to rural Minnesota for her arranged marriage to Olaf, a Norwegian farmer; bureaucracy and prejudice cause major complications.

Review:

This is one of my favorite movies we own (and that's saying a lot as we have hundreds of movies). I have no idea when or where I stumbled upon this one (maybe $5 Target buy?), but I instantly loved it. It is such a sweet romantic story of two strangers thrown together in rural Minnesota. I can't imagine traveling across the ocean to a brand new country by myself with limited language skills. Inge is such a great character. I love watching her grow and find a place within the community. Definitely a recommended movie.

Best Bits:

Clerk of Court: The judge says we have to be careful about this sort of thing. Young Olaf: What sort of ting? Clerk of Court: German nationals... German nationals engage in prostitution, they encourage polygamy, they harbor dangerous political convictions. Are you aware of the Espionage Act of 1916? Young Olaf: You tink she's a spy? Clerk of Court: Well, I'll tell you what's in her favor. She's not Chinese.
Postal Clerk: No foreign language letters leave the country. Young Olaf: Why? Postal Clerk: We're at war, with Germany. Young Olaf: So they keep telling me. I tought ve von.
Old Inge: [reading] A thing of beauty is a joy forever: Its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness; but still will keep a bower quiet for us, and a sleep full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.