stage/screen

Not Realistic or Sexy

'491' Is Squalid

Swedish Movie

By EMERSON BATDORFF

The ads for "491" at the Continental are addicted to one-word summations, thus: "Shocking!"-Judith Crist. "Powerful!"-Archer Winsten, N.Y. Post.

To this I am now in a position to add: "Squalid" Batdorff, The Plain Dealer.

"491" is best known as a predecessor film to "I Am Curious (Yellow)" by Vilgot Sjoman. I can only hope that between this and "Yellow" he improved considerably on his film narrative technique.

In addition to being squalid, "491" lacks interest. In a film that is supposed to be as real as a piece of salami, Sjoman shows he doesn't know what salami is.

"491" concerns itself with a social experiment in Sweden in which a dedicated but stupid young social worker acts as a sort of den mother to a group of arrogant delinquents; they are supposed to be teenagers but most of them appear to be about 25, which detracts a bit from the credibility of it all.

The main clod, who is the most arrogant, begins selling the books belonging to the social worker. In the fullness of time the social worker finds out about it.

"491"

Continental

Squalid story about a social work experiment with teenagers in Sweden. Promoted as being sexy but it is dreary instead. Adult. 105 minutes.

Directed by Vilgot Sjoman, screenplay by Lors Goerling from his novel. Svensk Filmindustri production.

Krister Nisse Egon Pyret Jingis

Lors Lind .Leif Nymark „Stig Thornblom ...Larns Hansson Sven Algotsson

The Butcher ......................... .Torleif Cedarstrand The Fish ..................................................Bo Andersson Steva .Lena Nyman The Inspector .............................. ...Frank Sundstrom The Preacher ..Ake Gronberg

"You have sold nearly half my books," he complains mildly. "Some of them were essential to my work."

Eventually the young criminal sells the other half with never a cop being called. This restraint is to carry out the idea of the title, which is that the Bible promises forgiveness 70 times 7, but doesn't say anything about No. 491.

THERE IS homosexual activities involving a couple of the boys, both of whom appear to be 25 or so, and the inspector of the experiment, a top hand at social working.

Finally the lads bring a prostitute home. The fel-

low in charge of the house does not object and eventually he tries to use her earning to buy back his furniture, which by now the teenger has sold.

People who just may venture in to pick up a little nudity are certain to be disappointed. The film was not

made to be sexy, no matter what the ads say. Its sins are dreary.

It is dubbed into English, which is not the least of its faults.