The Women Around Larsson: A Strange Old-School Romance

Is it worth the watch?

If you like movies that feel like they were pulled from a dusty attic, The Women Around Larsson might be your thing. It’s definitely for the crowd that enjoys slow, polite period dramas where the biggest stakes involve class snobbery and who is courting who.

If you prefer fast pacing or, you know, things actually happening, you will probably hate it. It moves at the speed of a horse-drawn carriage in the mud. 🐌

The vibe

There is a lot of looking out windows in this one. A young runaway aristocrat wanders into town and starts sniffing around the blacksmith's daughter, which is basically the plot of a hundred other stories from this era.

It reminds me a bit of the pacing in The Shindig, though much less rowdy. It feels very contained, like everyone in the village is constantly worried about their neighbor peeking through the curtains.

Small details

I couldn't help but stare at the blacksmith set. It’s got that weird, over-lit stage quality where the soot doesn’t look quite like soot. It’s just grey powder dusted on perfectly clean aprons.

There’s this one scene where a character is trying to look angry but ends up just looking like they have a mild headache. It lasts for a solid minute. I think the director just forgot to yell cut. Hilarious.

Is it a classic?

Not exactly. It’s not quite as charming as Sunday Clothes, which had that certain spark. This one feels a bit more like a chore, honestly. It’s trying to be a serious romantic drama, but it lacks the weight to really pull it off.

Sometimes it feels like the movie is trying to convince you that this aristocrat is actually a rebel, but he just looks like a guy who lost his coat. It’s all very polite and very safe.

• The dialogue is incredibly formal.
• The side characters seem more interesting than the lead, which is a common issue.
• There is a distinct lack of actual blacksmithing happening in the blacksmith shop.

It’s fine for a rainy Sunday if you’ve already watched A Woman Wills and are desperate for more vintage stuff. Just don’t expect to be blown away. Sometimes, a movie is just a movie. And that’s okay.