My Life as a Dog [Mitt liv som hund] **** (1985, Anton Glanzelius, Tomas von Brömssen, Anki Lidén) – Classic Movie Review 9100

‘It could have been worse. I’ve actually been lucky. If you compare… My Life as a Dog’

Set in the Fifties, director Lasse Hallström’s magical bitter-sweet 1985 film My Life as a Dog [Mitt liv som hund] about Swedish childhood deals with the adaptation problems of a mischievous 12-year-old boy, Ingemar Johansson (Anton Glanzelius), who goes to live with relatives in a tiny village when his mother’s depression means she is unable to cope with him and his brother.

The boy has a beloved dog from whom he is separated in the move, but the one of the title is the Russian space dog, whose isolation and vulnerability he identifies closely with.

The charmingly humorous and touching script, based on Reidar Jönsson’s novelised autobiography, has wit and edge and is beautifully played by an ideal young Glanzelius in his only theatrical film. For many people it is a tale that brings back long-forgotten childhood memories.

It won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for two Oscars: Best Director and Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

Also in the cast are Tomas von Brömssen as Ingemar’s uncle, Anki Lidén as Ingemar’s mother,, Manfred Serner, Melinda Kinnaman, Ing-Marie Carlsson, Kicki Rundgren, Lennart Hjulström, Leif Erickson, Ralph Carlsson and Christina Carlwind.

It is available in subtitled and dubbed versions.

The screenplay is by Lasse Hallström, Reidar Jönsson, Brasse Brännström and Per Berglund.

Melinda Kinnaman is the sister of Joel Kinnaman.

Anton Glanzelius, the son of actress Margita Ahlin, was born on 11 April 1974 in Copenhagen. He works as executive producer at Swedish TV4, where he produces reality shows.

My Life as a Dog [Mitt liv som hund] is directed by Lasse Hallström, runs 100 minutes, is made by A B Filmteknik and Svensk Filmindustri, is released by Skouras Pictures (1987) (US), is written by Lasse Hallström, Reidar Jönsson, Brasse Brännström and Per Berglund, is based on Reidar Jönsson’s novelised autobiography, is shot in Fujicolor by Jörgen Persson and Rolf Lindstrom, is produced by Waldemar Bergendahl, is scored by Bjorn Isfalt and designed by Lasse Westfelt.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9100

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