Bussen (film)

Bussen The Bus is a 1961 Norwegian comedy film, directed by Arne Skouen and starring Leif Juster, and a strikingly similar 1963 Danish comedy film directed by Finn Henriksen and starring Dirch Passer the texts acknowledge this source at the start of the Danish version. The plot and script is essentially the same in both films and also a couple of names. The Danish version is made suitable for a Danish audience. The music to the Norwegian version was written by Maj Snstevold and Gunnar Snstevold, with additional songs written by Alf Prysen. The original main character was written for Leif Juster. At this point in his career, Juster was a popular movie actor. It is possible that Arne Skouen was inspired by a narrative poem written by the poet Ingeborg Refling Hagen, about a milkman who is constantly running errands because of his good heart.

There are, however, some notable plot differences, mainly based on the casting of the main character. Leif Juster was older than Dirch Passer, and presents a calmer humour. Juster was turning 51, while Passer wasat the time of the respective shootings. Passers interpretation is more Slapstickbased, and the Danish film is made in a more Chaplinlike tradition. The kind humanity of the chauffeur is more present in the Norwegian version. As Passer was younger, the element of romance is more central in the Danish version as well. In both films, the protagonist saves and cares for a small girl Kaja played by Synne Skouen, daughter of Arne Skouen in the Norwegian version, whose mother is falling to pieces. In the Danish version, Kaja is cared for by an older sister, who becomes a love interest for the protagonist. In the Norwegian version, the interactment is solely with Kaja, and the mother is passed off as a lost case. The bus driver is said to have delivered Kaja in the bus, and promises to take care of her as a daughter. The man being there at birth is the truest father, he says. This plot difference makes the romantic subplot lighter and softer, and the social criticism implied in the Norwegian version is toned down.Lars, the dumb muscle set up to be the driver of the new bus, is a regular mook in the Norwegian version, constantly getting into fights because of his physical strength, and urged on by his careless girlfriend Helga. The Danish version makes him an amateur boxer, working for the local smith. Danish Lars seems to be more happy in his situation than his Norwegian counterpart, who actually contemplates suicide because of his messy situation with Helga and the other youths. Norwegian Helga seems to be regarded as a get around girl, and is passed off as such by Thorvald and that is why Lars constantly is getting into fights. Danish Helga seems to be more sincere and proper while still being a slight fanservice something which also applies for Kajas olde

Source: Wikipedia