The Apple War (1971)

The Apple War (Swedish: Äppelkriget) is a 1971 Swedish comedy-drama film directed by Tage Danielsson, starring Gösta Ekman, Hans Alfredsson, Tage Danielsson, Monica Zetterlund and Max von Sydow. The political theme of the film is the battle between nature on the one hand and commercialisation and industrialisation on the other set to exploit and ultimately destroy land and natural resources. The film can also be seen as an early criticism of globalisation as it depicts foreign, and large scale, capitalist investors and entrepreneurs as exploiters working side by side with domestic, small scale, capitalists.

The songs in The Apple War are composed and written by Evert Taube, who also makes a cameo in the film as the old man who dances with Monica Zetterlund at the end party, and while there also recites a part of one of his most famous songs, "Calle Schewens vals", performed by the cast in the same scene at the end. Winner of three Guldbagge Awards, The Apple War is a popular cult film in Sweden, and referred to as a "Hasseåtage" film due to the creators Tage Danielsson and Hasse Alfredson.

Synopsis

A German businessman wants to buy land in southern Sweden for a gigantic amusement park, his new project called "Deutschneyland" (a wordplay of Deutschland and Disneyland). Some of the locals dislike the idea, including the magically talented Lindberg family, and work to frustrate the development plans.

Actors