On the surface I'll Take Sweden (1965) is your typical teen vs. parent '60s comedy. Yet on a deeper level this film is representative of the changing sexual mores in society, especially when it comes to youth sexuality, and how that was affecting American culture. What's interesting about I'll Take Sweden is that we get to see how Americans treat sexuality and how that differs from the looser Swedish sexuality (or at least the Swedish stereotype).
Bob Hope stars as widower Bob Holcomb who is dealing with his teenage daughter JoJo's budding sexuality. Tuesday Weld plays JoJo and her petite frame, blonde locks and little girl voice make her a sort of an alternate Sandra Dee. JoJo is head over heels for Kenny (Frankie Avalon) a young ne'er-do-well who plays the guitar, rides his motorcycle dangerously and lives in a trailer. Not quite what JoJo's father expected for her daughter's future husband. In an effort to get his daughter to give up Kenny, he whisks her off to Sweden. At the Stockholm branch of his work, is womanizer Erik who immediately sets his hooks on JoJo. In the meantime, Bob is falling in love with beautiful divorcee Karin, an interior decorator.
I could go into a full summary of the movie but I won't because I'd rather you watch the film instead. The most interesting aspect of this film is the clashing ideas of sexuality. Bob doesn't think JoJo should go off to a youth retreat alone with Erik because they are unmarried yet Bob has no qualms of taking his girlfriend Karin on a romantic outing. Also, it's made very clear that the Swedes have little interest in marriage and are okay with premarital sex. I know that the Swedes have a less Puritanical view on sexuality than Americans do, but this film is obviously playing up on stereotypes for the humor factor. No matter how exaggerated it is, it's still a nice insight into the sexual dilemma of the 1960s.
And it's got Tuesday Weld in awesome outfits!!!
Hahaha! BAD idea to ship her off to naughty Sweden! I HAVE to see this films! They spell the Swedish names Erik and Karin right, at least - must have been some research there :)
ReplyDeleteEven though it's a stereotype, I believe that we in fact ARE more (at least compared to 1960's America) relaxed in our sexuality and talking openly about it. I can't recall any sexual subject that I couldn't discuss with my mum, and every time I've entered a new relationship I've made positively clear what I like and dislike. Then there won't have to be any unpleasant surprises if everything is cleared up first! ;)
I'll see if I can find this gem somewhere, I will simply have to make a review of my own! "Swedish girl on Swedish people in American films", haha.
Raquelle,
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of this film (shame on me!) Neither have I heard of Tuesday Weld (what a strange name for a pretty girl!). However I know quite a lot about the classic Swedish stereotype pictured in classic film.
In earlier movies, say from the 30's to the late 40's Swedish people were pictured as robust, hard working immigrants, at least in American film. This all changed in 1951 when Ulla Jacobsson went skinny dipping in Arne Mattsson's One Summer Of Happiness. One of the first really big Swedish post- silent movie exports.
The less scrupulous Swedish movie makers immediately understood that the world wanted nudity as One summer Of Happiness became extremely sucsessfull because of this "incident". Soon nudity, sin, loose morals and Swedish film became synonymous.
If the film contained little or no nudity it still took every opportunity to show how loose the Swedish women were in general. A title like "Blonde In Bondage" from 1957 is a very good example of this. Have a taste of this tagline: "Her body screamed for the thing she hated!".
Things got even worse in the 1960's when Sweden dropped the ban on pornography. The Swedish Film Institute actually financed quite a few pornographic movies alongside high quality art film during this period.
I guess Tuesday Weld's Sweden movie is rather harmless compared many others of the same period but the exotic loose Swedish lifestyle surely plays a part in it.
Were we loose? Are we still loose?
Come see for yourself, you'd probably be really disappointed I'm sure... There's not even a proper sex shop in Stockholm! :)
It's been years since I've seen I'll Take Sweden. And you're right, it really does capitalise on the Swedish stereotype. Still, it is very funny. I never much cared for Bob Hope's later films (I love his earlier ones), but this is one of the better ones! And Tuesday Weld was perfect in a way that another starlet, like Sandra Dee, would not have been. For a very different Tuesday Weld, you'll have to catch Pretty Poison from 1968 sometime!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fun film! I love that black & white dress in the screencap that's second from the bottom. I want it!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I haven't seen this movie yet! Your review has certainly made me curious. You'll be writing more about Tuesday--right? Hope so!
ReplyDeleteLolita - If you get a chance to see it, I would like to hear your reaction to it as a Swede.
ReplyDeleteJonas! - I was really hoping to talk to you before I posted this. Oh well. Thanks for your input. That's really interesting about the developed Swedish stereotype in the media. No sex shop in Stockholm? Why not?
Mercurie - Pretty Poison is definitely on my list. Thanks for pointing that one out. I kind of like Bob Hope's later films. They have a more subdued humor...
Kate - You take that dress and I'll take the one with the fur shawl (faux fur of course for me) and we can go out on the town and be fabulous.
KC - Yes. More Tuesday Weld to come.
There must be a sex shop in Stockholm, we have two in Norrköping!
ReplyDeleteJonas, you had a lot of interesting to say, thanks for the input!
Raquelle - Promise to give you my opinion on it when I have seen it!
Lolita,
ReplyDeleteIt's settled! Norrköping must be the Mecca of Swedish sin! Haha!
Just to let you know this was shot in Southern CA. Looks like Lake Arrowhread, and Big Bear lake The California boat stickers give it away. My favorite Tuesday film is Solider In The Rain with Steve Mc Queen, and Jackie Gleason. It's out on DVD as part of the" Warner Valut" but the film has been cut to 88 minutes and some little but key moments have been cut.
ReplyDelete