Kim Novak Never Swam in Genesaret’s Lake – Kim Novak badade aldrig i Genesarets sjö (2005)

Directed by: Martin Asphaug | 95 minutes | drama, thriller, crime | Actors: Anton Lundqvist, Jesper Adefelt, Jonas Karlsson, Helena af Sandeberg, Johan H:son Kjellgren, Anders Ahlbom, Bo Andersson, Leif Andrée, Peter Bäckander, Anders Berg, Torsten Edman, Donald Högberg, Viktor Kannisto, Maria Kulle, Chatarina Larsson , Niklas Lingström, Pär Luttrop, Måns Nathanaelson, Cecilia Nilsson, Peter Nilsson, Ulla-Britt Norrman-Olsson, Jeanette René de Vreede, Josefin Strandberg, Peter Viitanen, Jörgen Berthage

Kim Novak. Thanks to Alfred Hitchcock, who gave her the lead role in his masterpiece ‘Vertigo’ (1958), she became a big star. In the late fifties and early sixties, her beautiful but hypothermic appearance graced many boys’ rooms. And although her place as the ultimate vamp was soon taken over by other beautiful women, Novak will always capture the imagination. There are no fewer than three feature films in which her name appears in the title. No living actress can imitate her. The Spanish film ‘El Curso en que amamos a Kim Novak’ (‘The Semester We Loved Kim Novak’, 1980), in which we see a young Cecilia Roth, set the trend. Fourteen years later there was ‘C’è Kim Novak al telefono’ (‘Kim Novak is on the Phone’, 1994) by Italian director Riki Roseo. And in 2005 the Swedish movie ‘Kim Novak badade aldrig i Genesarets sjö’ (‘Kim Novak Never Swam in Genesaret’s Lake’) was released. This is not the real Kim Novak, but a young teacher who looks like her. She is the dream woman of two teenagers, who grow up far too quickly due to special circumstances during a memorable summer on an idyllic Swedish lake.

While traveling back to his homeland for the funeral of his friend Edmund, Erik (Johan H:son Kjellgren) reminisces about a summer in the early 1960s. His mother (Chatarina Larsson) is dying of cancer. Erik (now played by Anton Lundqvist), his father (Donald Hogberg) and older brother Henry (Jonas Karlsson) visit her in the hospital, but they realize she will never come home. A new teacher has entered the school, the beautiful Ewa Kaludis (Helena af Sandeberg), who compares the teenage boys in love with movie star Kim Novak. Her boyfriend is the burly Berra Albertsson (Anders Berg), once the star of the Swedish handball team that is now mainly known for his loose hands. Erik and Henry spend the summer holidays at the Genesaret summer house on a beautiful lake. His father allows Erik to bring a friend and he chooses Edmund (Jesper Adefelt), even though he doesn’t know him very well. During the lazy summer days, the two become good friends, while Henry tries to write his first book. Then Ewa suddenly shows up at the summer house. She has fallen in love with Henry. Berra soon discovers that his fiancée is cheating on him. Dark clouds are gathering over the summer that started so well for Erik and Edmund…

Although unmistakable thriller elements are reviewed, ‘Kim Novak Never Swam…’ is first and foremost a coming-of-age film. It revolves around fourteen-year-old Erik and Edmund who grow up. In a few summer months they discover their sexuality, discuss heavy topics like life and death and lose their innocence. Summer starts innocently and playfully, but due to unforeseen events it ends in a minor way. The whodunit doesn’t really matter. A Hakan Nesser bestseller formed the basis of the story. A classic story, which may seem a bit corny here and there, but that never loses its charm. Together with director Martin Asphaug, the author processed his book into a handy script. Logically, the literary origin of ‘Kim Novak Never Swam…’ is still clearly present – ​​for example in the voice-over by the older Erik. Asphaug plays with it by transferring the spoken text from the older to the younger Erik. He also shows, especially at the beginning of his film, that he has the necessary – albeit modest – visual tricks up his sleeve. But the film doesn’t really need those witticisms. Fortunately, as the film progresses, they fade into the background. Philip Øgaard’s cinematography is, incidentally, to pass through a ring, in contrast to the top-heavy piano score, which is sometimes a bit too emphatic.

As is often the case in Scandinavian productions, the acting is excellent. Especially the two young protagonists show their best side. They can’t help it that they occasionally get dusty dialogues (‘It was painful to be 14 and know you had seen perfection’). However, they are completely believable as two boys at the crossroads between childhood and adulthood. The role of Henry is played by Jonas Karlsson, the Swedish equivalent of Edward Norton. A fascinating appearance that actually does not get the space to fully come to fruition. The other roles – including those of Helena from Sandeberg – are actually barely worked out to be mistaken for full characters. They are minor characters in the lives of Edmund and especially Henry, the one and only protagonist in this film. Kim Novak Never Swam in Genesaret’s Lake is a mystery thriller about the loss of adolescent innocence, platonic love and discovering the pain of growing up. Fascinating, visually more than worth seeing and strongly acted. The wheel is not reinvented; we already know everything that comes along from previous films. Coming-of-age is a popular theme in both American and European cinema.

While this drama certainly has its flaws, this is a solid and entertaining film. Lovers of quality drama with a mystical undertone will certainly find what they are looking for here.