Review of The Count

Or rather like that film title 'Less than Zero'…. indeed this is … as a sort of Finnish 'Alfie' version, yet - supposedly - based on a true story: since, even if is, there is nothing whatsoever, anywhere by the director (and writer of - Peter von Bagh*!) to attempt to understand why - allegedly / unbelievably (uskomatonta!) - 76 women would succumb to this smarmy, idiotic 'lothario' - again, supposedly the real person, an unbelievably crass oily character called Pertti Ylermi Lingren. His constant fourth wall breaking, mugging, smirking, winking is almost emetic inducing! That is, unless those (Finnish?) women of those times were so deprived of companionship and care by others even worse than him (their spouses and other partners?), to make them all effectively emotionally braindead, does terrible justice to all portrayed here, but especially Irma Martinkauppi with the embarrassing inane dialogue she has to utter - ("You're quite right; I'm not happy; at least I haven't been up until now - but when I met you I felt like my whole world changed .. you know how to handle a woman .. I believe that if I hadn't met you; I couldn't go on living"!!!) - with also a vapid non portrayal by otherwise gorgeous Kirsti Wallasvaaara: talk about suspension of disbelief, to believe that this basically git, would manage to charm such a young beauty as Kirsti, even as far as actually setting the wedding day and on that day, accompanying her to the church (before he jilts her by dashing off for a pee!) - is patriarchal arrogance to the utter nth degree!

If purportedly some form of documentary (his appalling singing gigs) this is probably one the worst cinematic efforts it's ever been my misfortune to sit through.

Of course it could all be dry as a bone Finnish humour: in which case, it's even worse! Appalling trash!

* This guy was held in high regard in Finnish cinematic circles, too.