Cinema Society

"Salute to Klaus Haro"/THE NEW MAN

Average
Rating

3

Tuesday, November 24, 2009, Reading Cinemas (formally Pacific) Town Square 14, Clairemont

Invited Guest: Klaus Haro

THE NEW MAN (2007)

Showtimes:

5:10 pm to 7:15 pm

and

7:55 pm to 10:00pm

Klaus takes on another sensitive chapter of Swedish history in THE NEW MAN. Shockingly, no country other than Nazi Germany carried out more enforced sterilization's than Sweden. Prior to World War II, they took place largely on eugenic grounds. They carried on into the 1970’s as part of a broader program of social engineering designed to eradicate poverty and overcrowding among the society’s undesirables.

The story of THE NEW MAN focuses on 19-year-old Gertrud, the eldest daughter of a poor family. One day in 1951, the authorities force her into a work home for young women. Here she encounters a motley crew: one touch girl, one who’s shy, one who’s slightly crazy. All of them live under the shadow of hard-hearted scientist Dr. Berg, who carries out sterilization's, convinced that he’s doing society a favor.

Rated: Unrated / Running Time: 104 Minutes

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29-Nov-09: Mroe - Rating: 3

The bar was set pretty high for this film as I had scene "Letters to Father Jacob" just prior, so I don't if that is why I do not have the same warm and fuzzy feelings for this movie. Knowing that this was all based on fact, that this was all going on in Sweden for so long was certainly disheartening. The film did remind me a bit of "Girl Interrupted" (1999 w/Winona Ryder & Angelina Jolie), those girls were not being made to get sterilized but the film did feel "formula" for the different characters and such (I guess that's what happens when one sees too many "eh" films, one gets jaded easily). I have to admit that having had only one other film as an option to see (Mother of Mine) I did sort leave wishing I had seen that film instead....but I was still happy with the entire evening.