Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And what most reviewers believe is that The Inheritance is about how a man, bullied by his domineering mother, turns his back on a beautiful wife and life in Sweden and betrays everything and everyone, ending up a basket case and pale shadow of his former self. But they're all wrong. A contrarian reading of the film goes thusly: A man is in a relationship in which he is the subservient party. But he doesn't know it. He decides, against the wishes of his persuasive wife, and out of conscientious duty to the steel workers, to take control of the family business. He makes many difficult decisions, but all are guided by his desire to do the right thing, and for others to do the right thing by him. Where is the fault therein? He is let down by his backstabbing brother in law and his cheating wife. He forgives her, and eventually him. But, and through a classic bit of Scando' understatement we discover this, she keeps on cheating. Eventually she leaves him. Presumably Alfred (the libidinous Lothario) dumps her when she is no longer married. Christopher, our protagonist, manages to save the steel mill, reinstate some sacked workers, get his act together, get a reliable wife, and with some encouragement from Mom, basically grow up. This is a brilliant Scandi coming of age film for the fellas. It is little wonder that the luvvie set viewed it with puzzlement and decided it was an anti-capitalist polemic. The attempted rape of a middle aged, swarthy-complexioned French maid by Christopher after his wife walked out on him, was greeted with incredulity by the critics, as proof of his moral decline. But if you notice the humble maid with broom is the antithesis of his flighty, starry-eyed wife, it becomes clearer: she represents a modest, caring, constant heart, an irresistible attraction, and more evidence that the film is a vehicle, a clarion call for return to traditional values, utterly incomprehensible to the current generation of filmerati. One other thing. Pay particular attention to the opening minutes of the film. They are important for later.
Review of The Inheritance
