Bedre enn sitt rykte (1955)

	Directed by: Edith Carlmar	COUNTRY Norway GENRE Drama/Romance/Comedy INTERNATIONAL TITLE - RUNNING TIME 118 minutes
	Produced by: Carlmar Film
	Written by (based on the novel by Eva Seeberg): Otto Carlmar

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Karin	Vigdis Røising	½
Dag	Magne Bleness	½
Frøken Tone Strøm	Kari Nordseth	½
Roald	Atle Merton
Per Ellingsen	Odd Borg
Mona	Unni Bernhoft
Gerd	Synnøve Strigen
Leif	Per Christensen
Rektor	Anders Sundby
Frk. Hansen, lektor	Lalla Carlsen

Review

Edith Carlmar was one of the most prolific filmmakers in Norway in the 1950s, arguably one of the few female directors who could boast being a leading national filmmaker at the time. Collaborating with her writer-husband Otto Carlmar, she created renowned films such as Fjols til fjels (1957) and Lån meg din kone (1958), as well as Ung flukt (1959), which was Liv Ullmann's debut film.

Preceding all these was Bedre enn sitt rykte, an enjoyable and well-acted film depicting the antics of "russen" – a tradition in which Scandinavian/Norwegian students celebrate graduating from upper secondary school and becoming ready for the university. Carlmar demonstrates a fine aptitude for both comedy and romance, and "russen" are portrayed in a good-natured and positive, yet rather candid way. The film is surprisingly explicit in sexual themes and has stood the test of time well, discussing issues that are still recognizable and relevant for people this age today. The scene in the teachers' lounge is particularly descriptive, as the Carlmars suggest the cyclic nature of how the older generation tends to view the younger generation as depraved, lazy, and immoral.

Quotes (in Norwegian)

Etter at han har blitt ropt opp av eksaminatoren:
Per Ellingsen (Odd Borg): "Å dæven, det er meg."

Etter å ha blitt avslørt som en rundbrenner av ei jente i Fredrikstad:
Leif: "Jeg trodde ikke jeg var nødt til å bla opp i boka når det gjaldt ei provins-rype."