Horst in Translation ([email protected]) The international title of this 23-minute animated short film "Christopher's Christmas Mission" is fairly different to the Swedish "Sagan om Karl-Bertil Jonssons julafton". Even the title character's name is different. Per Åhlin directed this movie fairly early in his career, even if he was already over 40. It is based on the story by Tage Danielsson, who also voices one of the main characters. It is a classic holiday film in Sweden and I cannot say that this is very much in favor of Swedish television. This short movie has a couple decent moments, but as a whole it's not a great success either in emotional warmth or in terms of comedy. The animation is okay for the 1970s and if you have seen some other Scandinavian animated films, you can see that it's a similar style they use. Sometimes, it also reminded me of the German "Werner Beinhart" movies. All in all, not a must-see by any means.

pleinelune This lovely little story really represents Christmas as I know it... in Sweden most people spend a good part of Christmas Eve watching TV and this is one of the shows that has come to be a celebrated tradition, broad-casted every Christmas Eve for the last couple of decades. It is the tale of a modern day Robin-Hood whose generosity at first is met with suspicion but finally he manages to remind everyone he meets what Christmas is all about - giving and loving not greed for all the right presents.The animations are funny and well done and the warm and comforting voice of Tage Danielsson guides us through the film, leaving us with a warm fuzzy beautiful Christmas feeling deep within.

Make_me_bad When it comes to christmas, we have some stupid traditions in sweden. One is the one-hour mix of seriously downsized disney movie-cuts. It´s one of the seeeeerious traditions here. I don´t like it, but it takes the attention of about 50 percent of the swedish population for one hour, so I guess it haves some kind of value. I always wonder what the other 4 million does between 3 and 4 in the afternoon... Anyway, the story about Karl-Bertil Jonsson is really what christmas is about. A young man who works at the post-office takes all the gifts that are adressed to the rich people, and then gives them to the less fortunate. When he have to admit this to his very capitalistic father what he has done, all hell breaks loose. His father forces him to go to everyone he has "stolen" from, and admit his crime, but to everyones surprise, all the rich people are just delighted whit Karl-Bertils little christmas-scam... It may sound silly, but the comments (impossible to give to you in english in their right value of entertainment, but trust me, I cry in my laughter every christmas), and the nice story, makes it impossible to not love this story. I pity the fools that not aregiven the possibility to see this.

Zaphod Beeblebrox "Sagan om Karl Bertil Jonssons julafton" might be the cutest Swedish movie of all times. It's about Karl Bertil, the son of a very rich man, who steals Christmas presents from the rich and give them to the poor.The movie is both funny, intelligent and warm. And even though it´s quite simple, it really touches my heart.The film is sent on Swedish television every Christmas Eve, and Christmas would not be the same without it.