The Harvest Month

The story

The title of the Finnish film Elokuu translates to August. Directed by Matti Kassila, one of Finland's premiere filmmakers, Elokuu was adapted from a novel by Nobel prize winning finnish author F.E. Sillanpää. Simply put, the story concerns the decline and fall of a once-proud family, thanks to the alcoholism of its paterfamilias. Toivo Makela delivers a powerfully effective performance as the inebriated protagonist, avoiding the usual "drunken" cliches. The overlong running time, coupled with the downbeat nature of the subject, limited the film's worldwide appeal.

Cast

T Toivo MäkeläViktor Sundvall E Emma VäänänenSaima Sundvall R Rauni LuomaMaija Länsilehto A Aino-Maija TikkanenTyyne Sundvall R Rauni IkäheimoIita S Senni NieminenHanna Nieminen H Heikki SavolainenMauno Viljanen T Tauno KajanderTaave S Sylvi SalonenActress T Topi KankainenAlpertti P Pentti IrjalaMies saunalla O Olavi AhonenMies saunalla

See more cast

K Keijo LindroosMies tansseissa M Mauri JaakkolaYlioppilaskaveri S Severi SeppänenLääkäri K Kaija SiikalaNuoruudenrakastettu M Matti KassilaNarrator (voice) (uncredited) K Kari ÅkerbergViljo Sundvall (uncredited) T Tommi RinneJuhlija (uncredited) L Leo JokelaJuhlija (uncredited) L Leo LastumäkiSaarinen (uncredited) S Seppo SariolaVäinö Länsilehto (uncredited)