The only lamentable part of this extraordinarily moving film is its title. I went to an art-house cinema in Toulouse to see it, more for Hamer's reputation than the published blurb, still not knowing what to expect. Nothing moves in the film, like the observant Folke on his directorial high chair, we are watching the goings on, monotonous. But, boring? Most certainly not! As the plot develops around the friendship between the subject and the object, we are drawn into a conflict which is essentially outside the boundaries of nations: how can you understand someone without verbal communication, for the sake of scientific research? You can't.
Bureaucratic strictures can lead to disobedience however much the personal cost of that kind of action might be. Folke and Isak forge a friendship in a relatively short time, which might take others years of nurturing. We applaud the rebellious scientist when he dumps his snail-shell caravan to return to Isak's uncomplicated rural dwelling. The most moving closing scene suddenly makes you realise that what seemed to be a static film was, in fact, full of heroic action.
That there are only two IMDb comments on this film demonstrates how exclusionist South Europe and the States are, when third rate trash receives attention of one sort or the other.
Bureaucratic strictures can lead to disobedience however much the personal cost of that kind of action might be. Folke and Isak forge a friendship in a relatively short time, which might take others years of nurturing. We applaud the rebellious scientist when he dumps his snail-shell caravan to return to Isak's uncomplicated rural dwelling. The most moving closing scene suddenly makes you realise that what seemed to be a static film was, in fact, full of heroic action.
That there are only two IMDb comments on this film demonstrates how exclusionist South Europe and the States are, when third rate trash receives attention of one sort or the other.