Allison Davies
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
Matho
The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.
Marva
It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
Janis
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
phillindholm
To call this thing ''bad'', is really doing it a disservice. It's actually beyond unbearable-a clear and relentlessly clumsy attempt to cash in on the tremendous success of ''The Sound Of Music''. If that wasn't enough, it features Edward G. Robinson and Florence Henderson in the SAME movie. Kind of like Pat Boone and Ann-Margret in the 1962 remake of ''State Fair''. No, Robinson and Henderson are not paired romantically. But they might as well have been-everything else in this so-called''Biography'' of Edvard Grieg is hilariously over the top, with everyone trying in vain to compete with the gorgeous location photography and substituting acting with simpers and bright, glassy smiles. Lucky for Florence, ''The Brady Bunch'' was just around the corner-because this ridiculous ''epic''pretty much killed her film career.Though the singing is fine, the music is not Grieg's best, and it's simply used as background for the scenery-which, by the second hour of this fiasco, begins to resemble one of those nature films which occasionally show up in small towns, accompanied by the Producer/Director who narrates it in person. One reviewer at the time this was first released stated: ''It seems to have been made by Trolls''. And not very talented ones, at that. Gives poor Norway a bad name.Not to mention Trolls....
Puck-20
Muslim detainees in Guantanamo Bay were reportedly tortured by having to watch this film several times a day, many of them begging for mercy and swearing they would eat pork chops for dinner every day if only they quit showing them this film... ***WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!*** The Surgeon General has concluded that watching this movie may be hazardous to your health. ... I saw this movie on the Big Screen when it came out. I loved Grieg's music (well, still do) but this film really put my loyalty to the test. Others here have spoken quite eloquently about the movie's incredible editing and song and dance numbers, so I won't add to the comments. The reason I gave the movie two stars instead of one was: Florence Henderson's wonderful role in reprising her cameo in Weird Al Yankovic's "Amish Paradise", and the totally meaningless non-sequitur animated sequence about two thirds through the movie where you have monsters popping out of fiords.
jollymolly
I had great expectations when this film opened with beautiful scenery and masterful cinematography. Norway is truly spectacular. I thought it would be very refreshing to watch a film that didn't rely on special effects, but sorrowfully my expectations soon gave way to mind boggling reality.The pacing was slow, the dialogue was forced, "real" reactions were practically nonexistent, even from the stand-ins, kids, dancers and supporting actors who were used more like set pieces than human beings. The directorial style was old fashioned Rome opera. Traditionally in Rome, the singers rarely move. They just plant their feet and sing, and the chorus is draped around them. The sound is great, but the dramatic elements are totally sublimated to the music. I think they tried to do the same here, but what's good for Rome sure ain't good for the movies! Frank Porretta as Richard Nordraak touches me with his gorgeous voice, and he reads well on screen, but his character, like the rest, lacked any depth.Once footage was "in the can" scenes were chopped up like confetti. Smooth transitions, probably 86'd for the sake of the score, were the first to go. Our "suspension of disbelief" was shattered continually. The sound was also very uneven, and the choreography was quite stilted and cloned from just about any Rogers and Hammerstein film. "Production numbers" just meant more people on stage, crammed into boxcars if necessary, and "don't let them move around too much". oi. They even teamed Florence Henderson up with a gang of "cute kids" who had absolutely no personalities, and had her stomp through the town singing ala "Sound of Music". Nothing worked.How Edward G. Robinson managed to retain his dignity in this horrible flick is a total mystery. The leading men might have done well as characters in "Mr. Ripley" if only their makeup had been feathered into the hairlines. Florence was lovely and animated and saved the day as best as she could. The costumes were obviously high budget as was the film itself, but budget alone could not save this unfortunate disaster.
terry
The movie starts out great with some of the most beautiful nature scenery ever taken by a movie camera. If you stopped watching the film at this point, you'd be ahead of the game. From there on you will not find two connected scenes, let alone a continuous movie. Saying this film is bizarre is to do a disservice to the word bizarre. My guess is that someone shot several dozens of scenes, then put them in a big box, shook the box thoroughly, very thoroughly, and spliced them together at random. The result was The Song of Norway. Morley, Henderson, and, Robinson must have been very, very, broke to have been in this flick. Take a pass on this dog. (my apologies to dogs)
