With many of the same elements as the great Léon, Emma's Shadow (original Danish name "Skyggen af Emma") takes place in Denmark in 1930's, and tells a story of a neglected, upper-class child Emma befriending a lonely sewer worker Malthe. While not a masterpiece like Leon, Emma's Shadow is a touching and enjoyable movie.

Eleven years old Emma (Line Kruse) is the sole daughter of a rich Danish family. With her father too busy running his business and her mother downright abusively uninterested in her daughter, Emma has grown a spoiled, obnoxious and attention starved child. Inspired by overhearing a discussion about the American Lindbergh kidnapping, Emma stages her own kidnapping, taking taking herself into a poor part of the city. Malthe (Börje Ahlstedt), a scruffy man of rough past and the lowest self esteem, almost trips over Emma, causing her to hurt her knee, and takes her into his place to check the little cut. Despite Malthe's awkward reluctance, strong willed Emma persuades him to feed her and let her sleep the night in his place by telling him a fabricated story of how she is being chased by Bolsheviks.

A frienship quickly develops between the two, both equally needy of friendship. Emma is getting from Malthe more attention than she ever got from her parents. Malthe, who is at the bottom of the society and disrespected by his peers, feels protective of Emma, and enjoys the feeling of being needed by her.

The relationship has several interesting aspects. The obvious first tension comes from the fact that Emma is alone in the home of the single man, whose intentions are unknown. The movie makes no effort to conceal that tension, making the audience to worry for Emma. Soon enough, however, it becomes apparent Malthe is a kind man, and it is in fact Emma who is in charge of the situation and even appears to enjoy the effect of her femininity on the lonely man.

The social inequality of the two is striking: they are from the two extremes of the society, in the day when classes would certainly not casually mingle. Finally, while Emma is but eleven years old, her self confidence is vastly beyond that of the rather slow witted, meek Malthe, and she is used to having her way with people. Yet, Emma is now dependent on Malthe, a commoner. The movie doesn't fail to make use of all this.

The fact Emma's Shadow is not available on DVD, and the fact I saw a low quality VHS copy of it somewhat reduced my enjoyment of the movie. Hopefully a DVD release will eventually be made. Emma's Shadow has won several movie festival awards, including Cannes, as well as the Danish Oscar.

The beginning of the experience of watching the movie was dominated by poor picture quality, Danish language, and Emma's beauty and charming, crude bossiness. Gradually the first impression was replaced by apprecition for the interesting dynamics of the story and the characters of Emma and Malthe. By the end of the movie, I was also impressed by the strong acting and the touching, tender story told. The better than expected ending crowned the movie. If you like the genre, Emma's Shadow is not a movie you'll forget quickly.

The ending of the movie was a pleasant surprise. Emma is found, and Malthe is assumed guilty and convicted. Emma's parents won't consider other interpretations of the events. It is the predictable, depressing situation. A police officer, delightfully level headed and reasonable throughout the movie, finds proof of Emma having staged the kidnapping, however, and Malthe is brought to meet Emma. Pained by guilt and shame, Emma starts quietly crying against Malthe, and he picks her up for a long, close embrace. For Emma's parents this comes as a shock in a multitude of ways. They had been so wrong. Their child had, after all, deceived them. And perhaps above all: the lack of love from them had driven her away, and Malthe, a pariah of the society, had been able to provide her what they hadn't. Emma's father looks at his wife — a solemn, troubled look — and discreetly closes the door, respecting, or perhaps not bearing to see, Emma's long embrace.