Pelle the Conqueror

"The von Sydow performance is in a category by itself. It is another highlight in an already extraordinary career" 

"This masterful film, in its celebration of the indomitability of the human spirit, shares with (...) Elia Kazan’s 'America, America' the dream of escaping to the United States, the land of opportunity." 

"A natural, organic epic, and one that opens a window on a meticulously detailed bygone world that, by film’s end, you might feel as though you’ve visited." 

"Despite von Sydow's craggy grace, half a dozen resplendent master shots, and a handful of teasingly portentous scenes, Pelle the Conqueror flounders through a series of colorful but static and disjointed scenes" 

"Despite occasional lapses into sentimentality, the film is saved by its performances and its uncluttered depiction of harsh impoverished lives" 

"There are many good things (...) Unfortunately, its slow pace drags the whole thing out, and the relentlessly downbeat storyline does ultimatelty go over the top and evoke giggles when you should really be sobbing (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"