Title: Sweet Land

Year Released/Rating: 2005 PG

Starring: Elizabeth Reaser, Tim Guinee, Alan Cumming, Alex Kingston

Directed By: Ali Selim

Written By: Ali Selim, Will Weaver

Genre: Drama, Romance

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: I own it

Trivia:

• Most of the Norwegian and German was not scripted, but made up by the actors during filming and is gibberish.
• Elizabeth Reasers' Norwegian pronunciation was so bad that after Dagbladet (one of Norway's biggest news-papers) stumbled upon this film, they posted a clip from it with the title "What is she trying to say?"

Summary: In 1920, Inge, a German national, travels from Norway to rural Minnesota for her arranged marriage to Olaf, a Norwegian farmer; bureaucracy and prejudice cause major complications.

Review: 

This is one of my favorite movies we own (and that's saying a lot as we have hundreds of movies).  I have no idea when or where I stumbled upon this one (maybe $5 Target buy?), but I instantly loved it.  It is such a sweet romantic story of two strangers thrown together in rural Minnesota.  I can't imagine traveling across the ocean to a brand new country by myself with limited language skills.  Inge is such a great character.  I love watching her grow and find a place within the community.  Definitely a recommended movie.

Best Bits: 

• Clerk of Court: The judge says we have to be careful about this sort of thing.  Young Olaf: What sort of ting?  Clerk of Court: German nationals... German nationals engage in prostitution, they encourage polygamy, they harbor dangerous political convictions. Are you aware of the Espionage Act of 1916?  Young Olaf: You tink she's a spy?  Clerk of Court: Well, I'll tell you what's in her favor. She's not Chinese.
• Postal Clerk: No foreign language letters leave the country.  Young Olaf: Why?  Postal Clerk: We're at war, with Germany.  Young Olaf: So they keep telling me. I tought ve von.
• Old Inge: [reading] A thing of beauty is a joy forever: Its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness; but still will keep a bower quiet for us, and a sleep full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.