This is Jan Troell’s second chapter of the landmark Swedish epic which began with “The Emigrants,” starring Max Von Sydow and Liv Ullmann.
An impressive chronicle of the life and times of the Swedish immigrants in Minnesota, covering the time period up to and beyond the Civil War.
Though they did not come to America to become Americans, they are gradually drawn into their new culture.
Father Karl-Oskar Nilsson (Max Von Sydow) and his wife Kristina (Liv Ullmanb) battle Nature and political changes in order to survive. The family members have little contact with their neighbors, and because they don’t speak English, they have difficulty buying things from the nearby store.
Robert (Eddie Axberg), Karl’s younger brother, wants to find gold and travels westward with Arvid (Pierre Lindstedt), the Nilsson’s strange and skittish farmhand.
Lavishly produced, The Emigrants and The New Land were the two most expensive films made in Sweden to date.
Oscar Nominations:
Best Foreign Language Film
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context:
The winner was Luis Bunuel’s “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.”
MPAA: PG
Running time: 215 minutes.
Directed and co-written by Jan Troell