Sampo

Sampo (1959)

Runtime: 90 minutes

Directed by: Aleksandr Ptushko

Starring: Urho Somersalmi, Anna Orochko, Ivan Voronov, Andris Osins, Eve Kivi

From: Mosfilm/Suomi-Film

Please note that I’m reviewing the original Russian-Finnish motion picture Sampo, NOT the edited American International Pictures cut released in America as The Day the Earth Froze… which is quite the spoiler as it reveals a huge moment in the final act. Of all the sub-labels that have their discs distributed by Vinegar Syndrome, Deaf Crocodile Films is of great interest to me: presenting (for the most part) European pictures obscure to the West. Awhile back I purchased the 1956 movie Ilya Muromets then reviewed the film; it was quite the Russian fable. As some of their titles are now available on Prime for rental, selecting another movie from director Aleksandr Ptushko seemed a wise decision.

This time, the production was a co-production between the Soviet Union and Finland as the film tells a loose adaptation of the Finnish epic poem Kalevala, based on folklore & myths. The leads are a blacksmith, his daughter and the daughter’s boyfriend. She is kidnapped by an old witch who forces the blacksmith to make the titular Sampo… now, how do I describe something abstract, which I understand was never definitely defined anyhow? Think of it like the Horn of Plenty in Greek mythology. It is an object that brings good fortune, that is the keystone detail. Note that this is a fantasy, as the blacksmith Ilmarinen creates a red horse w/ his own hands (which made his earlier building of an iron boat look not so bizarre in comparison) and the witch Louhi literally steals the sun as a later punishment.

It was typical folklore… meaning, rigid characters and basic ideals. That’s not a criticism, just clarification. It was not a movie I loved as much as Ilya Muromets—the pacing could be rather languid, for starters, and Muromets presented a rousing adventure. Yet, I still was captivated by these myths new to me involving those bold characters and some fanciful creatures. The direction and score was nice, but the highlight was visually—like w/ Muromets, the effects are mostly still effective today and there is plenty of lovely scenery, whether outdoors or on sets.

If you believe the story is too arcane for those not Finnish and/or those familiar w/ its culture, the visuals will keep you engaged. It is a positive that in recent years, the most famous works of Aleksandr Ptushko have been restored so they can be fully appreciated around the world instead of being known in America for badly-edited cuts appearing on MST3K.