This Article first appeared in Year Book 2003 of The Finnish Spitz Club (UK)
Finnish Spitz gets claws into film role
A new film by Markku Pölönen, one of Finland's leading film directors, went on release in Helsinki and throughout Finland in February 2003. It is based on a book by Veikko Huovinen called "Koirankynnen leikkaaja" and the title of both book and film translate as "The Dog-Nail Clipper". The nails in question belong to a Finnish Spitz called "Sakke"!
The film is set in the late 1940s in the Finnish region of North Karelia (near the border with the USSR) where workmen spent the long winter months in logging camps to provide for their families and so that Finland could supply timber to the USSR in payment of war reparations. Life was very hard for everyone but there was a strong sense of community spirit - looking after the weakest was an obvious and natural thing to do.
The main (human) actor is Peter Franzén. He plays Mertsi who had been shot in the head during the war and whose injuries have left him disabled and child-like. All his relatives had died during the war. Mertsi is befriended by a railway worker called Ville who shows him a photograph of his dog Sakke. Ville tells Mertsi what a lovely character and good hunter the dog is. The only problem is that Sakke has very long 'dew claws', and gets sore from running in the forest, but won't let anybody touch or cut the claws. Mertsi is fascinated by Sakke's beautiful eyes and asks if maybe he could try to cut the claws. Ville agrees and gives Mertsi a note to show to his wife.
Mertsi then meets Eetvi, a friend from the war who helps and protects him. However, Mertsi continues to think and have dreams about Sakke and to have flashbacks about his experiences in the war. He goes in search of Sakke and stays with Ville's wife. One night he decides he will help Sakke and cut the claws. He does so, but gets quite badly bitten in the process. Eetvi takes Mertsi to the hospital – the same one he was taken to during the war, where the doctor remembers him. While he is at the hospital a present arrives from Sakke's owner. It is a "medal" made from Sakke's claws! The film ends by showing Mertsi proudly wearing his medal with the Finnish flag fluttering in the breeze.
Sakke does not appear frequently throughout the film but has a significant part to play in the whole story. However, the director was keen to make sure that it is not a "Lassie" type role but that of an ordinary dog.
The Fennada Film Studio advertised in the newspapers for a Finnish Spitz to take part in the film. Around 30 owners responded. These were narrowed down to a shortlist of 4. In the end an 8 year old bitch called Korpisaran Tuuli got the role of "Sakke" because she had a very brave character and wasn't frightened of anything new. The director was also won over because of her beautiful eyes, which he thought were full of expression. Her owners Eero Repo and Heidi Lahtinen spent 11 days in the studio filming and an animal trainer was also present to help out. Korpisaran Tuuli is a good hunter with a sensitive nature. Her real-life sire is also called "Sakke".
The "claw-cutting" scene required "Sakke" to look and sound quite aggressive. Her claws were not really cut and she was fitted with false ones for the scene! Her owners brought their other two bitches along and used treats to 'provoke' some jealousy and growling. The ensuing noisy 'argument' between the three Finnish Spitz scared the wits out of some of the film crew!
The director already knew of the sometimes 'stubborn' temperament of Finnish Spitz but he was prepared for this and knew that no other breed would be right for the role. He soon realised that she got bored when scenes were rehearsed and repeated, so she sat out the rehearsals and only came in front of the cameras when the human actors had perfected their lines.
During the last few years, 800 to 900 Finnish Spitz have been registered each year in Finland. This number makes them the 9th most popular breed in the country. The director doesn't want the breed to become any more "fashionable" as a result of his film, but to remain as a true countryside and forest dog.
Markku Pölönen's "The Dog-Nail Clipper" is now available on DVD with English subtitles.
Written by Irene Slater (Valokki).
The article is based on seeing the film in the cinema and on articles in the Finnish magazines "Pystykorva" and "Koiramme".
