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ComedyDramaRomance

The Man Without a Past

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Arriving in Helsinki, a nameless man is beaten within an inch of his life by thugs, miraculously recovering only to find that he has completely lost his memory. Back on the streets, he attempts to begin again from zero, befriending a moody dog and becoming besotted with a Salvation Army volunteer.

Release Date : 2002-03-01

Language :Finnish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : SputnikYLEPyramide ProductionsPandora FilmZDF/ArteNetwork MovieARTE France CinémaCanal+CNCBavaria Film

Production Country : FinlandFranceGermany

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Markku Peltola

Character Name : M

Original Name : Markku Peltola

Gender : Male

Kati Outinen

Character Name : Irma

Original Name : Kati Outinen

Gender : Female

Juhani Niemelä

Character Name : Nieminen

Original Name : Juhani Niemelä

Gender : Male

Kaija Pakarinen

Character Name : Kaisa Nieminen

Original Name : Kaija Pakarinen

Gender : Female

Sakari Kuosmanen

Character Name : Anttila

Original Name : Sakari Kuosmanen

Gender : Male

Annikki Tähti

Character Name : Manager of Flea Market

Original Name : Annikki Tähti

Gender : Female

Anneli Sauli

Character Name : Bar Owner

Original Name : Anneli Sauli

Gender : Female

Elina Salo

Character Name : Dock Clerk

Original Name : Elina Salo

Gender : Female

Outi Mäenpää

Character Name : Bank Clerk

Original Name : Outi Mäenpää

Gender : Female

Esko Nikkari

Character Name : Bank Robber

Original Name : Esko Nikkari

Gender : Male

Pertti Sveholm

Character Name : Police Detective

Original Name : Pertti Sveholm

Gender : Male

Matti Wuori

Character Name : Layer

Original Name : Matti Wuori

Gender : Male

Aino Seppo

Character Name : Ex-wife

Original Name : Aino Seppo

Gender : Female

Janne Hyytiäinen

Character Name : Ovaskainen

Original Name : Janne Hyytiäinen

Gender : Male

Antti Reini

Character Name : Electrician

Original Name : Antti Reini

Gender : Male

Marko Haavisto

Character Name : Salvation Army Band Member

Original Name : Marko Haavisto

Gender : Male

Jukka Teerisaari

Character Name : Salvation Army Band Member

Original Name : Jukka Teerisaari

Gender : Male

Jyrki Telilä

Character Name : Salvation Army Band Member

Original Name : Jyrki Telilä

Gender : Male

Jouni Saario

Character Name : Salvation Army Band Member

Original Name : Jouni Saario

Gender : Male

Risto Korhonen

Character Name : Mugger

Original Name : Risto Korhonen

Gender : Male

Panu Vauhkonen

Character Name : Mugger

Original Name : Panu Vauhkonen

Gender : Male

Tom Wahlroos

Character Name : Mugger

Original Name : Tom Wahlroos

Gender : Male

Vesa Mäkelä

Character Name : Men's Room Guard

Original Name : Vesa Mäkelä

Gender : Male

Aarre Karén

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Aarre Karén

Gender : Male

Eeva-Liisa Haimelin

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Eeva-Liisa Haimelin

Gender : Female

Kalevi Heinämaa

Character Name : Boot Stealer

Original Name : Kalevi Heinämaa

Gender : Male

Anton Peltola

Character Name : Nieminen's Son

Original Name : Anton Peltola

Gender : Male

Joona Karastie

Character Name : Nieminen's Son

Original Name : Joona Karastie

Gender : Male

Jouni Marjaranta

Character Name : Accordion Player

Original Name : Jouni Marjaranta

Gender : Male

Tuire Tuomisto

Character Name : Salvation Army Girl

Original Name : Tuire Tuomisto

Gender : Female

Vappu Lysti

Character Name : Salvation Army Choir Member

Original Name : Vappu Lysti

Gender : Female

Ritva Harteva

Character Name : Salvation Army Choir Member

Original Name : Ritva Harteva

Gender : Female

Raija Lähteinen

Character Name : Salvation Army Choir Member

Original Name : Raija Lähteinen

Gender : Female

Eeva Penttinen

Character Name : Salvation Army Choir Member

Original Name : Eeva Penttinen

Gender : Female

Peter von Bagh

Character Name : Salvation Army Officer

Original Name : Peter von Bagh

Gender : Male

Matti Oinonen

Character Name : Salvation Army Officer

Original Name : Matti Oinonen

Gender : Male

Aarno Kuussalo

Character Name : Salvation Army Officer

Original Name : Aarno Kuussalo

Gender : Male

Aarre Ritola

Character Name : Salvation Army Officer

Original Name : Aarre Ritola

Gender : Male

Eira Ritvanen

Character Name : Vendor in Bar

Original Name : Eira Ritvanen

Gender : Female

Anja Angel

Character Name : Homeless in Doorway

Original Name : Anja Angel

Gender : Female

Pentti Kirstilä

Character Name : Homeless in Doorway

Original Name : Pentti Kirstilä

Gender : Male

Olli Varja

Character Name : Drunk

Original Name : Olli Varja

Gender : Male

Keijo Nyrhinen

Character Name : Man in Waste-tank

Original Name : Keijo Nyrhinen

Gender : Male

Liisa Mustonen

Character Name : Unemployment Office Clerk

Original Name : Liisa Mustonen

Gender : Female

Sulevi Peltola

Character Name : Unemployment Office Manager

Original Name : Sulevi Peltola

Gender : Male

Erkki Lahti

Character Name : Lindström

Original Name : Erkki Lahti

Gender : Male

Markku Pätilä

Character Name : Jokinen

Original Name : Markku Pätilä

Gender : Male

Helka Viljanen

Character Name : Cook at Bar

Original Name : Helka Viljanen

Gender : Female

Eero Nykänen

Character Name : Dock Foreman

Original Name : Eero Nykänen

Gender : Male

Erkki Puskala

Character Name : Dock Foreman

Original Name : Erkki Puskala

Gender : Male

Henry Astikainen

Character Name : Welder at Dock

Original Name : Henry Astikainen

Gender : Male

Silu Seppälä

Character Name : Ruffian

Original Name : Silu Seppälä

Gender : Male

Juha Springare

Character Name : Police Officer

Original Name : Juha Springare

Gender : Male

Jukka Salmi

Character Name : Police Officer

Original Name : Jukka Salmi

Gender : Male

Aki Hirvensalo

Character Name : Police Officer

Original Name : Aki Hirvensalo

Gender : Male

Pasi Kokkoniemi

Character Name : Police Officer

Original Name : Pasi Kokkoniemi

Gender : Male

Mika Roiha

Character Name : Police Officer

Original Name : Mika Roiha

Gender : Male

Andrey Chernyshov

Character Name : Mechanic

Original Name : Andrey Chernyshov

Gender : Male

Matti Nylund

Character Name : Mechanic

Original Name : Matti Nylund

Gender : Male

Jouni Kortesato

Character Name : Man at Restaurant

Original Name : Jouni Kortesato

Gender : Male

Timo Linnasalo

Character Name : Man at Restaurant

Original Name : Timo Linnasalo

Gender : Male

Heikki Mattila

Character Name : Man at Restaurant

Original Name : Heikki Mattila

Gender : Male

Hanna Jokinen

Character Name : Cook

Original Name : Hanna Jokinen

Gender : Female

Toni Salminen

Character Name : Train Stewart

Original Name : Toni Salminen

Gender : Male

Pentti Auer

Character Name : Chief Bureaucrat

Original Name : Pentti Auer

Gender : Male

Olavi Tuomi

Character Name : Chief Bureaucrat

Original Name : Olavi Tuomi

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-05-18

Probably not since Wendy Hiller in "Major Barbara" (1941) has the Salvation Army featured so prominently in a drama. That's lucky as a visitor (Markku Peltola) to Helsinki arrives and is promptly beaten to near death by three hoodlums. He manages to stumble to the railway station and next thing the machine in the hospital says he is dead. Well, he's not that easy to kill and next thing he is wandering about, bandaged and with a different pair of shoes trying to find a place to stay. He has no memory of anything, just a load of broken bones and bruises. He has no money either, and finds himself in the vicious circle of no ID, no help. That's where "Irma" (Kati Outinen) comes in. She works for the aforementioned charity and takes pity on his plight. She manages to get him some clothes and finding, thanks to security guard "Anttila" (Sakari Kuosmanen,) what looks like a converted storage container to live in, he begins to rebuild his life in a gritty and unforgiving city. His relationship with "Irma" strengthens and maybe he has turned a corner? An incident that brings him to the attention of the cops delivers him an unexpected degree of closure for his past life, but will it help? Peltola is on good form here and his characterisation of the man lost in a strange world, but not bamboozled by it, is strong and quite engaging - especially when the hint of gentle romance creeps in with the equally robust character of 'Irma" who has seen a great deal in her charitable role. I probably shouldn't have, but I did rather like the denouement. It offers us a bit of hope and a bit of retribution and there's some very dark comedy along the way.