Underplayed Gems

Woman is the Wild Card (1944)

Woman is the Wild Card poster
Original title
Nainen on valttia
Directed by
Ansa Ikonen
Genre
comedy film
Country
Finland
Runtime
1h 39m
Rated
S
Rating
7.0 of 10 from 2 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A young woman on the run from the police shows up at a home shared by three bachelors. She is secretly a famous operetta star, and she tries to hide her true identity while transforming their lives.

lightheartedplayfulwhimsicalupbeatfast-pacedcharmingescapistcomic

What happens

Nainen on valttia (Woman is the Wild Card) is a 1944 Finnish black-and-white comedy film directed by Ansa Ikonen. It was Ikonen's only directorial effort. The film is based on an original screenplay by Mika Waltari, revolving around a young woman who transforms the lives of three bachelors upon arriving at their home. The woman, a fugitive from the police, is revealed to be a famous operetta star named Kirsti Kalpa. She manages to conceal her identity—at least temporarily. Despite being filmed in the midst of the Continuation War, the film does not reflect the war but instead presents a lighthearted comedy. The five-month production took place mainly indoors. The project was offered to Ikonen by T. J. Särkkä, but she initially doubted her abilities, fearing male actors might not accept a female director. Ikonen received technical assistance from cinematographer Armas Hirvonen. While contemporary reviews noted issues with Waltari's script, Ikonen's direction was seen as skilled. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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