Pelle the Conqueror

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Pelle the Conqueror

PG-13,

1988,

2h 40m,

Kids & Family/

Drama

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Watchlist

83%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

When his wife dies, Lassefar takes his 12-year-old son, Pelle, from their home in Sweden to Denmark in search of a better life. Signing on as laborers at a large farm, father and son undergo numerous trials, including prejudice against immigrants and run-ins with those more powerful than themselves in both the physical and the social sense. Over the course of a year, young Pelle learns what it takes to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world.

Critics Consensus

Pelle the Conqueror details the plight of the immigrant using fine, empathetic strokes, brought to life through the efforts of an outstanding cast led by Max von Sydow.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Feb 27, 2017

3/5

Director Bille August and ace Scandinavian cameraman Per Holst make the film a visual treat.

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Michael Atkinson

Village Voice

Feb 27, 2017

Pelle itself, rather surprisingly, is a natural, organic epic, and one that opens a window on a meticulously detailed bygone world that, by film's end, you might feel as though you've visited.

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Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Feb 27, 2017

The film is a towering achievement, grueling in its portrayal of a harsh existence yet ultimately an exhilarating experience unlikely to be forgotten.

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Jun 13, 2022

Looks like an impeccably staged epic, yet colder and more sterile than the tundra. [Full review in Spanish]

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Steven Prokopy

Third Coast Review

May 6, 2020

There's a seemingly endless number of characters to explore here, but Pelle the Conqueror always brings us back to the father-son dynamic that is a constant source of both compassion and heartfelt disappointment.

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Diane Carson

KDHX (St. Louis)

Aug 29, 2017

As Lasse, Max von Sydow brings his supremely accomplished acting to the role.

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Abraham G

Dec 25, 2018

Superbly shot, acted and deeply moving. No 'Hollywood' here.

Ron R

Sep 18, 2018

Pelle the Conqueror is admirably ambitious in its scope and runtime, it's simply gorgeously shot and quite realistic overall. This expensive Danish production also benefits from one powerhouse, deservedly Oscar-nominated performance from Max von Sydow and a truly heartbreaking ending. However, the film is overly repetitious in its plot, way too simplistic in approach and just so emotionally manipulative as it constantly tries to evoke pity for its protagonists in a very unsympathetic manner.

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Poe M

Jul 28, 2017

A gripping story of a father and son who live such difficult lives. I grew very attached to these characters, as if they were my own family. One of the great movies.

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Bille August

Director

Max von Sydow

Lassefar

Pelle Hvenegaard

Pelle

Erik Paaske

Forvalter

Kristina Törnqvist

Anna

Björn Granath

Erik

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Synopsis

When his wife dies, Lassefar takes his 12-year-old son, Pelle, from their home in Sweden to Denmark in search of a better life. Signing on as laborers at a large farm, father and son undergo numerous trials, including prejudice against immigrants and run-ins with those more powerful than themselves in both the physical and the social sense. Over the course of a year, young Pelle learns what it takes to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world.

Director: Bille August
Producer: Per Holst
Screenwriter: Bille August, Martin Andersen Nexø
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Svensk Filmindustri, Per Holst Filmproduktion
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Kids & Family, Drama
Original Language: Danish
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 21, 1988, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Feb 24, 2017
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.7K
Runtime: 2h 40m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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