Only a Mother (1949)

Media (101)

Kajsa Hedström
+46 8 665 11 22
kajsa.hedstrom@filminstitutet.se

Read more about this film in our article "Filmen, mamman och demonerna" (in Swedish)

Watch this film in the Mini Cinema in our Stockholm library

Original title	Bara en mor
Swedish release title	Bara en mor
International title	Only a Mother
Distribution title	Bare en mor (Norge) Kun en mor (Danmark) Hän oli vain äiti (Finland) Rya-Rya - Nur eine Mutter (Västtyskland) Rien qu'une mère (Belgien) Soltanto una madre (Italien) Solo una madre (Italien) Prosto mat' (Sovjet) Tylko matka (Polen) Only a Mother (USA)

Director	Alf Sjöberg
Screenplay	Alf Sjöberg Ivar Lo-Johansson (ej krediterad)
Production Manager	Victor Sjöström (konstnärlig ledning)
Director of Photography	Martin Bodin
Music	Dag Wirén (originalmusik)
Art Director	Nils Svenwall
Film Editor	Oscar Rosander
Production Mixer	Per-Olof Pettersson (as P.O. Pettersson)
Assistant Director	Mats Johansson
Script Supervisor	Ingegerd Ericsson
Unit Manager	Gösta Ström
First Assistant Cameraman	Bengt Järnmark
Still Photographer	Louis Huch (ateljéfoto)
Musical Arrangement	Dag Wirén
Orchestra Leader	Eskil Eckert-Lundin
Assistant Production Designer	Tova Branzell
Boom Operator	Rune Jonson-Berg
Titles	Alva Lundin
Narrator	Gunnar Sjöberg

Eva Dahlbeck	Maria kallad Rya-Rya
Ragnar Falck	Henrik, statare, Rya-Ryas man
Ulf Palme	Hammar
Hugo Björne	Eniel, statare
Åke Fridell	inspektorn
Mona Geijer-Falkner	Emili, statarhustru
Max von Sydow	Nils, statare
Margaretha Krook	Berta, Nils hustru
Mimi Pollak	Erika Rost, statare
Elsa Widborg	ladugårdskarlens hustru, mjölkerskan med värkbruten arm
Olof Widgren	Rya-Ryas far
Ulla Smidje	Cecilia, den lungsiktiga flickan
Sif Ruud	skollärarinnan
Signe Eklöf	Rya-Ryas mor
Ernst Brunman	skolrådets ordförande, handlare
Nils Hultgren	Alm, statare, Cecilias far
-	Ej krediterade:
Gun Arvidsson	Mathilda, statarflicka
Birger Lensander	Häger, statare
Erna Ovesen	Hägran, Hägers hustru
Lars-Eric Larsson	Otto som liten pojke
Ulf Andersson	Otto som barn
Jan-Olof Strandberg	Otto, 8 år senare
Björn Montin	Elis som barn
Sten Mattsson	Elis, 8 år senare
Hans Edelskog	Stig, 12 år
Mona Malm (as Mona Eriksson)	Anna, 14 år
Aurore Palmgren	fru Håkansson, statarhustru
Emmy Albiin	gammal statarhustru
Astrid Bodin	expediten i juvelbutiken i Nyköping
Svea Holst	Adèle, fotograf Rosanders biträde
Karl Bökman	statare
Tryggve Jerneman	fotografen som tar gruppbild av statarna
Uno Larsson	statare som beundrar Elis motorcykel
Gunnar Collin	statare hemma hos Rya-Rya och Henrik på midsommarafton
Valfrid Andersen	statare
Theodor Berthels	gårdfarihandlaren
Birgit Hemmingson	Jenny, statarflicka
Lena Bergström	Gärda, statarflicka
Gösta Qvist	Håkansson, statare
Arne Källerud	O. Rosander, fotografen i Nyköping
Anna Gräber	dam hos fotografen
Björn Näslund	skolpojke
Lars Anjou	skolpojke
Anders Andelius	den munspelande beväringen på bröllopsfesten
Rune Stylander	gardisten hos fotografen
Yvonne Eriksson	en liten flicka
Bengt Berger	statare
Sonja Rolén	statarhustru
Ida Otterström	gammal kvinna i sjukhussäng
Elgina Quist	statarhustru vid gruppfotograferingen
Lena Nordenmark	ung statarflicka vid gruppfotograferingen
Anders Nohrborg	en statarpojke vid gruppfotograferingen
Jan Hagerman	en statarpojke vid gruppfotograferingen
Sigvard Törnqvist	stand-in för Max von Sydow som kusk vid skenfärden
-	Bortklippta i den slutliga filmen:
Knut Frankman	dragspelaren vid midsommardansen (bortklippt)
Rita Sandström	Anna som vuxen (bortklippt)
Vincent Jonasson	handlare (bortklippt)

Production Company	AB Svensk Filmindustri
Distributor in Sweden (35 mm)	Stiftelsen Svenska Filminstitutet	1994
	AB Svensk Filmindustri	1949
Distributor in Sweden (DCP)	Stiftelsen Svenska Filminstitutet	2015
Laboratory	AB Svensk Filmindustris filmlaboratorium

Among the poor contract workers at a large farm Maria, called Rya-Rya, always seems to cause a scandal and be the centre of rumours. After she has gone skinny-dipping in the middle of a hot workday her boyfriend Nils breaks up with her at a dance. She leaves the dance with another contract worker, Henrik. They make love and she becomes pregnant. Rya-Rya marries Henrik and subsequently becomes mother of several children. But for the family to be able to stay in their cottage she still has to work at the farm. The relationship with Henrik is not good and she has an affair with a man called Hammar while Henrik chases after the unwed women at the farm. Rya-Rya’s affair causes another scandal and the family leaves the farm, only to return some time later. The rest of her life Rya-Rya lives only for her children. Shortly before her death she reconciles with Henrik.

Censorship number	76032
Date	1965-08-20
Classification	Allowed from age 15
Original length	2750 meters
Notes	Aktindelning: 545-560-555-530-560 = 2750 meter - 101 minuter. Aktlängder: 545, 560, 555, 530, 560.

Censorship number	76032
Date	1949-10-24
Classification	Allowed from age 15
Original length	2735 meters
Notes	Aktlängder: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0.

Aspect ratio	1.37:1
Sound type	Sound
Sound system	AGA-Baltic
Colour type	Black and white
Carrier type	35 mm
Frames per second	24
Length in metres	2735 meter
Length in minutes	100 min
Reels	5 reels
Dialogue	Swedish

Original title	Bara en mor (Novel)
Author	Ivar Lo-Johansson

				1949-05-04	1949-07-07
Filmstaden	Råsunda	Sweden	(ateljé)
	Nyköping	Sweden
Kragsta gård	Vallentuna	Sweden
Pepparboda gård	Upplands Väsby	Sweden
Hagby gård	Täby	Sweden
Berga gård	Danderyd	Sweden
Råcksta gård	Råcksta	Sweden
Löttinge gård	Täby	Sweden
Wenngarns gård	Sigtuna	Sweden
Tvetabergs gård	Södertälje	Sweden
Rönninge	Salem	Sweden

Release in Sweden	1949-10-31	Röda Kvarn	Nyköping	Sweden	100 min
First showing	1949-10-31	Röda Kvarn	Nyköping	Sweden	100 min
Release in Stockholm	1949-11-07	Röda Kvarn	Stockholm	Sweden	100 min
Other showing	1963			Poland		(endast filmstudios)
TV showing	1976-09-04	TV2		Sweden
	1985-08-20	TV2		Sweden
	1989-07-17	TV2		Sweden
	1990-05-20	Kanal 1		Sweden
	1993-06-29	TV2		Sweden
	1997-11-07	SVT1		Sweden
	2001-04-03	SVT1		Sweden
Cinematheque screening, archive copy	2012-03-31
	2012-05-08
Cinematheque screening	2015-01-24	Filmhuset	Stockholm	Sweden
Cinematheque screening, archive copy	2015-01-24

Original title	O, det finns ej en vän
Composer	Folke Eriksberg
	Erik Johnsson
Singer	Signe Eklöf

Original title	I mitt himmelska hem
Composer	Filip Olsson
Lyrics	Filip Olsson
Singer	Nils Hultgren

Original title	Dig skall min själ sitt offer bära
Lyrics	August Afzelius	(1814)
	Britt G. Hallqvist	(textbearbetning 1979)
Singer	kör

Original title	När juldagsmorgon glimmar
Lyrics	Abel Burckhardt	(tysk text 1845)
	-	(okänd svensk översättare 1851)
Singer	kör

Bodil (Denmark)	Copenhagen	1953			(bästa europeiska film)
Best Cinematography	Venice	1950		Martin Bodin	(Premio Internazionale per la Fotografia)

The information given here refers to film material in the Swedish Film Institute’s archive. Access to the archive’s stock is given on request, for research, other film archives and rights’ holders. For enquiries please contact filmarkivet@filminstitutet.se

Element type	Print
Item base	Acetate
Carrier type	35 mm
Length	2758

Element type	Print
Item base	Acetate
Carrier type	35 mm
Length	2735

Element type	Print
Item base	Polyester
Carrier type	35 mm
Length	2780

Element type	Print
Item base	Acetate
Carrier type	35 mm
Length	2762

Element type	Print
Item base	Acetate
Carrier type	35 mm

Element type	Print
Item base	Polyester
Carrier type	35 mm
Length	2734

Element type	Duplicate negative
Carrier type	35 mm

Element type	Duplicate negative
Item base	Acetate
Carrier type	35 mm

Element type	Duplicate positive
Carrier type	35 mm

Element type	Sound negative
Item base	Acetate
Carrier type	35 mm

Size	About 60 x 80 cm
Quantity	1

Size	About 60 x 80 cm
Quantity	1

Size	About 60 x 80 cm
Quantity	1

Size	About 70 x 100 cm
Quantity	1

Size	About 70 x 100 cm
Quantity	2

Size	About 60 x 80 cm
Quantity	1

Size	Smaller than 40 x 75 cm
Quantity	2

Type	Press Cuttings

Script type	Inspelningsmanus
Extent	135 s.
Language	Swedish

Script type	Dialoglista
Extent	25 s. Produktionsuppgifter (1 s.) ingår
Language	Swedish

Script type	Dialoglista
Script title	Rya-Rya (Just a mother).
Extent	19 s.
Language	English

Script type	Dialoglista
Script title	Nur eine Mutter.
Extent	19 s.
Language	German

Script type	Synopsis
Script title	Efter Ivar Lo-Johanssons roman.
Extent	2 s.
Language	Swedish

Script type	Dialoglista
Script title	Rien qu'une mère.
Extent	55 s.
Language	French

Script type	Peripheral material
Extent	2 s.
Language	Swedish

Script type	Dialoglista
Language	English

Black and white print	SET
Behind the scenes prints	8
Slides	1
Album	Yes

Type	Program folio
Language	Swedish

Type	Misc.prints
Language	Swedish

Type	Misc.prints
Language	Norwegian

Type	Program/Reklamtryck
Language	Swedish

Type	Misc.prints
Language	Swedish

Type	Misc.prints
Language	Swedish

Type	Program/Reklamtryck
Language	Danish

Type	Misc.prints
Language	Danish

Sound type	Sound
Colour type	Black and white
Length in minutes	102 min
Dialogue	Swedish

Element type	Digitalt visningsmaterial
Carrier type	ProRes

Element type	Digitalt arkivmaterial
Carrier type	MAP

Element type	Digitalt arkivmaterial
Carrier type	MAP

Element type	Digitalt visningsmaterial
Carrier type	DCP

Element type	Digital audio
Carrier type	WAV

Element type	Digitalt visningsmaterial
Carrier type	H264