Every once in a while, late-night television viewers might be lucky enough to harken back to the early days of film-making while enjoying snowy and lush Nordic panoramas, courtesy of the 1929 Norwegian silent film, Laila.
Laila is the charming heroine and central character of the film. In addition to spectacular scenery (notably the extreme Northeastern mountains of Finnmark), the film offers romantic drama in the form of a love triangle and plenty of action and adventure. Ravenous wolves and reindeer races, city and country vistas, and tender and rugged characters provide plenty of entertainment for those interested in silent film making and how Norway was portrayed on film during the era. The movie runs two hours, 27 minutes and in 2006 was digitally restored by the Norwegian Film Institute. Subtitles are in English, and the musical score that accompanies the action is adapted from the compositions of lauded Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.
If you don’t want to wait until the movie rotates through on your favorite cable TV channel, you can rent Laila or watch a free trailer here. The film is also available for purchase on Amazon.