The film’s central strength lies in its unflinching realism. Set in the provincial heat of 1943 Sweden, during the muted backdrop of World War II, the story follows 15-year-old Stig and his teacher, Viola. On the surface, the plot risks falling into the clichéd trope of the “older woman” fantasy—a boy’s dream made flesh. However, Widerberg (who co-wrote the script based on his own youthful experiences) deliberately strips away any sense of glamour. The illicit encounters are not filmed with soft focus or swelling music; they are awkward, fumbling, and shot in the stark, honest light of a Swedish summer. The film’s title, taken from a popular hymn, ironically underscores the ugliness beneath the beauty. Unlike many 1995 films that treat adolescence with sentimental longing (such as The American President ’s idealized romance or Clueless ’s sunny satire), All Things Fair insists on showing the cost. The stolen moments in the school’s basement and the cramped apartment are tinged with sweat, desperation, and the constant threat of discovery. This is not erotic escapism; it is a documentary of loneliness.
All Things Fair (original Swedish title: Lust och fägring stor ) is a 1995 period drama directed by . The film is set in 1943 Malmö, Sweden, and serves as Widerberg’s final cinematic work before his death in 1997. Film Synopsis & Plot all things fair 1995 lust och faegring stor better
That was the beginning. Not with a kiss or a confession, but with a single, unbroken note held between them. The film’s central strength lies in its unflinching