Film Snail

7.4

The Man Without a Past

PG-13·2002·97m

Comedy

Drama

Romance

Comedy

Drama

Romance

Summary

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.

Cast

Markku Peltola

Kati Outinen

Irma

Juhani Niemelä

Nieminen

Kaija Pakarinen

Kaisa Nieminen

Sakari Kuosmanen

Anttila

Annikki Tähti

Manager of Flea Market

Anneli Sauli

Bar Owner

Elina Salo

Dock Clerk

Outi Mäenpää

Bank Clerk

Esko Nikkari

Bank Robber

Pertti Sveholm

Police Detective

Matti Wuori

Layer

Aino Seppo

Ex-wife

Janne Hyytiäinen

Ovaskainen

Antti Reini

Electrician

Marko Haavisto

Salvation Army Band Member

Jukka Teerisaari

Salvation Army Band Member

Jyrki Telilä

Salvation Army Band Member

Jouni Saario

Salvation Army Band Member

Risto Korhonen

Mugger

Panu Vauhkonen

Mugger

Tom Wahlroos

Mugger

Vesa Mäkelä

Men's Room Guard

Aarre Karén

Doctor

Eeva-Liisa Haimelin

Nurse

Kalevi Heinämaa

Boot Stealer

Anton Peltola

Nieminen's Son

Joona Karastie

Nieminen's Son

Jouni Marjaranta

Accordion Player

Tuire Tuomisto

Salvation Army Girl

Vappu Lysti

Salvation Army Choir Member

Ritva Harteva

Salvation Army Choir Member

Raija Lähteinen

Salvation Army Choir Member

Eeva Penttinen

Salvation Army Choir Member

Peter von Bagh

Salvation Army Officer

Matti Oinonen

Salvation Army Officer

Aarno Kuussalo

Salvation Army Officer

Aarre Ritola

Salvation Army Officer

Eira Ritvanen

Vendor in Bar

Anja Angel

Homeless in Doorway

Pentti Kirstilä

Homeless in Doorway

Olli Varja

Drunk

Keijo Nyrhinen

Man in Waste-tank

Liisa Mustonen

Unemployment Office Clerk

Sulevi Peltola

Unemployment Office Manager

Erkki Lahti

Lindström

Markku Pätilä

Jokinen

Helka Viljanen

Cook at Bar

Eero Nykänen

Dock Foreman

Erkki Puskala

Dock Foreman

Henry Astikainen

Welder at Dock

Silu Seppälä

Ruffian

Juha Springare

Police Officer

Jukka Salmi

Police Officer

Aki Hirvensalo

Police Officer

Pasi Kokkoniemi

Police Officer

Mika Roiha

Police Officer

Andrey Chernyshov

Mechanic

Matti Nylund

Mechanic

Jouni Kortesato

Man at Restaurant

Timo Linnasalo

Man at Restaurant

Heikki Mattila

Man at Restaurant

Hanna Jokinen

Cook

Toni Salminen

Train Stewart

Pentti Auer

Chief Bureaucrat

Olavi Tuomi

Chief Bureaucrat

Crew

Director, Writer

Aki Kaurismäki

Reviews

Geronimo1967

May 18, 2024

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.