The World of Movies: Moonshiners
Written by Rachael Crawley
The World of Movies is a series that explores global cinema, drawing on films from many countries, industries and eras. This week, we visit Finland, where lost movies come back to life.
Moonshiners.
May contain spoilers.
This is not exactly a Lost Films column, but it is tangentially connected. Back in 1907, when Finland was still part of the Russian Empire, the country produced its first fiction film, Salaviinanpolttajat (or Moonshiners). The twenty-minute movie no longer survives, and neither does its screenplay. Like most lost films, it has little chance of recovery – right?
The answer is “sort of”. Director Juho Kuosmanen took it upon himself to remake this lost landmark, using the sparse surviving production elements and contemporary reviews. Thanks to his efforts, Salaviinanpolttajat lived again.
Future Lost Films topic? Maybe. Catnip to this writer? Yes.
Moonshiners (2017) was released both 110 years after the original, and at the centenary of Finland’s independence. It was shot on 16mm film and performed with live music and sound effects. In terms of film mechanics, the movie comes very close to authenticity. Its scratches look organic. The fonts are era-appropriate. The score is jaunty. It is beautifully lit and plays well with shadow. For film fans, it’s a terrific adventure back in time.
Moonshiners.
That said, Kuosmanen stirs in his own level of anachronism. The actors are in plausibly old-fashioned clothing (with the occasional t-shirt peeking out), but no effort is made to hide modern cars. It is very clearly shot in a modern Finnish village. The characters pay with Finnish banknotes, not Euro. The slight vintage touches leave viewers with a sense of ambiguity. This could be contemporary Finland, 1917, or both. An exact setting seems rather beside the point.
The plot, cribbed from newspaper reviews, is identical to the original. Two siblings (Jaana Paananen and Juha Hurme) inherit a pile of moonshine equipment. At first, business booms, with a lot of wry humour about the nature of their product. Things get slightly out of hand when a gambler appears on their doorstep. After a few too many drinks and a few ill-timed cards, it looks like their future is on the line.
All of this is told with over-the-top silent movie tropes, a lot of slapstick, and a huge wink at the audience. Kuosmanen shows enormous affection and respect for the movie’s origins – but its semi-modern setting keeps it fresh. The overall effect is of a heartfelt tribute, from a very enthusiastic cast and crew.
It’s unlikely that anyone living can tell you whether Moonshiners resembles the original. The film we have, though, is a lot of fun. Its meticulous technical elements will please silent movie fans, and its playful humour will entertain casual viewers. This loving homage to the silent era also functions as a tribute to Finland, both old and new. Its layers of historical context add a great deal of meaning to a delightful movie.
Rachael Crawley holds a Master's Degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, and has worked with film in Canada and in Europe. She adores language and cinema, and how these subjects interact with each other.