Harlin goes home for 'Mannerheim' Director returns to Finland for heroic biopic By DIANE GARRETT STOCKHOLM -- Helmer Renny Harlin is returning to his native Finland to make "Mannerheim," his long-gestating biopic about the Finnish national hero.Pic will be produced by Solar Film's managing director Markus Selin, Harlin's long-time collaborator and friend, who says he is in the final stages of financing the e10 million ($14.5 million) co-production, which will be shot in Finnish, Swedish, Russian, English and Polish. Script is by actor-scribe Heiki Vihinen. Filming on Harlin's first pic on home turf in 20 years is due to start early in 2008. It will be distributed in Finland by Nordisk in 2009. Pic is about Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, the military and political leader who was Finland's sixth president from 1944 to 1946. Mannerheim started his military career in the Imperial Russian army, becoming the leader of Finnish government forces in the civil war of 1918 and during the World War II. Pic will cover his life from the early 1900s to the 1950s. The project is timely since Finland will celebrate the 140th anniversary of Mannerheim's birth in June. --------- Today, November 26th, 2007, Renny Harlin will finally announce casting. Can't wait to see his choice for C.G.E.M. Sounds interesting enough to buy a ticket instead of waiting for a DVD.
About time, too. I´m surprised there was not enough "money men or women" in Finland to finance this kinda movie. If I had the money I´d definitely say "go!".
The screenwriter says the script will cover Mannerheim's whole story; from his boyhood all the way to his funeral. If this is the case, I must say I'm a bit disappointed. I kind of hoped, that the story would most of all cover his military career. But nevertheless, like Kai-Petri said, about time!
If by some miracle that we get this movie over here-i'd say that i'd definately be most interested in watching it.
Thanks Kai for the update. I sure HOPE that they pick a Finn to play him. I wonder who is playing Mannerheim?
We do have some "old local names" who have played Mannerheim in several earlier films, but I guess it will remain a secret as long as possible. But I´m quite sure it´s not Tom Cruise....
And THANK God, that there is no Finnish version of of Tommy Cruise. I heard this several years ago that tommy boy, was slated to play Erich Hartmann in some movie too-thankfully that never came to bear any fruit. PS, speaking of Mannerheim, your Heinrich Hoffmann PK pic of Mannerheim--will be in the mail to you early next week, but do me a favor please and let me have your address again. I didn't lose it this time but, I have two different addys for you and I want to make sure I send it to the right place. ;-)) After I mail it, it should be in your hands with in a week.
Should we see if some bigwig in hollywoodland would be interested in making our version of Mannerheims life?
A Hollyweird-version of Mannerheim's life and career... Yikes! anic: On the other hand, then the movie might sell around the world, not just here (and perhaps in Russia). But totally off topic: somebody should make a movie about Lauri Törni (Larry A. Thorne). His life would be perfect material for an epic war movie.
Heh heh, I agree with you. Also, wh at could be a disaster if they made a movie about him-is if they hire gEORGE cLOONEY to play Mannerheim.
Well this sucks; Arts Scramble for Funding in Economic Crisis | News | YLE Uutiset | yle.fi Any biliionaires out there that want to come riding in on a white charger? Maybe some newly arrived Russki aristo? Mannerheim loved Russia-it was the Reds he had a problem with. JeffinMNUSA
The film was put on hold for a while but now it seems to have a good chance of getting filmed: Shooting is to resume on the long-planned feature film Mannerheim, to be directed by Renny Harlin. The newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported Monday that a financing deal with a German production company has put the project back on track. The subject of the biopic, Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, is an iconic figure in Finnish history. During his career, he was an officer in the Imperial Russian Army, the commander of the winning White forces in the Finnish civil war, Finland's commander-in-chief during WW II and President from 1944 to 1946. Planned as the most expensive production in Finnish cinematographic history, the production was suspended a year ago when Danish financiers pulled out of the project. According to Helsingin Sanomat, the film's production company, Solar Films, has now contracted financial backing from German film producer Harald Reichebner's Global United Entertainment Limited. The total budget for Mannerheim is reported to be close to 13 million euros. Although at least another million in financing is still needed, Solar Films says that shooting can now be planned for the autumn.
Cheers Kai, thanks for the update on this. Im glad that hollywoodland isnt involved or they might just put tom cruise in as Mannerheim
