Kipparikvartetti

In Kipparikvartetti from 1952 directed by Ville Salminen we see how this Finnish music group got their start.In a funny and rather fictional way, of course.The group consisted of Olavi Virta, Auvo Nuotio, Teijo Joutsela and Kauko Käyhkö.They all show their comical talents.Even Virta can be awfully funny with his face expressions and all.Other people in this movie do a fine job, as well.Liisa Tuomi plays Raija Rahkala.Eero Roine is Säveltäjä Harri Vuorivirta.Leo Lähteenmäki is Laurence van Döven.Kaisu Leppänen plays Vuorineuvoksetar Rahala.Paavo Jännes plays Vuorineuvos Rahala.Heikki Savolainen is Pönttö.The great, yet so small Masa Niemi is Jussi the janitor.Varma Lahtinen is her Mrs.Armas Jokio is an opera singer.Pentti Irjala plays a musician.Matti Oravisto plays a constable.There's obviously a lot of music heard in this movie.Kipparikvartetti had the talent in the music industry.My favorite song which is also heard in this movie is Muurari.This may not represent movie-making at its finest but it does offer the old time fun.Finnish movies aren't so much fun anymore.

"Kipparikvartetti" (Virta, Käyhkö, Nuotio and Joutsela) was formed in 1950 and it was famous at the time. All of these four were professional singers (which necessarily doesn't mean they had the ability to act well). The movie trusts on their music and that's where things have gone wrong.

OK, the musical sequences are good (and it's good there is film material on these singers) but the material between the music seems to be more or less indifferent compared to the goodness of the singers. There is of course a romance which develops between Olavi Virta's and Liisa Tuomi's characters. The romance is quite loose from the intrigue, as well as the few gangsters who are after a rich lady's diamond.

Maybe it would have been a better idea to film the music parts only. But as I mentioned it's important we have at least this material on the quartet.