Kranes konditori (English: "Krane's Café") is a 1951 Norwegian drama film from 1951 written and directed by Astrid Henning-Jensen, based on Cora Sandel's 1945-46 serialized novel.
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Plot
The film takes place in a small Norwegian coastal town and follows the life of Katinka Stordal (Rønnaug Alten). The film depicts her loneliness and longing for love. The only man she has ever loved has left her without saying goodbye. From her children she receives neither tenderness nor kindness—only hard, cold demands. Katinka fights to keep her family together. One day she meets the Swedish sailor Stivhatten (Erik Hell) at Krane's Café. Their meeting fuels gossip in the sleepy town, and Katinka's behavior arouses outrage among many: is she thinking of leaving her home and children?
Reception
The newspaper Verdens Gang praised the solid acting in the film, but complained about stiff camera work. The newspaper wrote, "The drama was intended to be presented firmly and tightly, with completely natural realism. Rønnaug Alten and Erik Hell maintain this style. But the situation and a number of secondary characters are drawn in strokes that are too thick. The film is solid, but it is also heavy. This simply makes it less entertaining. Astrid Henning-Jensen was not able to overcome this weakness, which has characterized so many Norwegian films."