Set in an indeterminate mid-century Norway, this animated tale of a talking teddy has some strange dubbing, but it’s wholesome fare
As this Norwegian-made children’s feature begins, it’s coming up to Christmas time and tween Mariann (Marte Klerck-Nilssen) and her little brother (Vegard Strand Eide) are trimming the tree with extraordinary intra-sibling harmony. The era seems to be somewhere in the middle of the last century judging by the type of cars on the streets, the lack of semiconductor-driven toys and gadgets and, to an extent, the clothes – though Norwegians’ fondness for traditional dress, especially when it comes to loppisgenser or “flea” pattern sweaters and chunky wool toques, makes nailing the period a challenge.
The important thing is that this unfolds in a utopian past full of good cheer, Christmas markets and magic that brings toys to be won at a spin-the-wheel stall to life, like the teddy bear of the title, which is dubbed into English with the voice of Zachary Levi. Mariann wins the teddy legitimately, but the furry scamp moves the wheel when no one is looking so that he has a chance to be won by an adult instead, who will take him to see the world. You see, he doesn’t understand how nice it is to be loved and cuddled by a child, although you can bet krone to kransekake he’ll learn about them by the end.
