Preludes to Ecstasy (1961)

Drama
Romance

Sten Lehtoja, a married, middle-aged businessman, picks up a young hitchhiker, Elsie, while driving to his summer home. Elsie spends the night and becomes his mistress. Later during the summer, Elsie also begins an affair with Reino, the teenage son of a local storekeeper. Sten offers to divorce his wife, and Elsie, attracted by the prospect of a secure social position, agrees to marry him when the divorce becomes final. One night when the couple are in bed, Reino climbs a ladder and attempts to force his way into their room; he falls and breaks his neck, and to avoid scandal Sten hides the body. But the strain of guilt ruins the romance, and Elsie contacts the police, who arrest her lover.

Cast

Elsi Pettinen
Liana Kaarina
Reino Tuomainen
Esko Salminen
(uncredited)
Laila Rihte
(uncredited)
W William Reunanen
(uncredited)
A Arvi Järvinen
(uncredited)
H Heimo Karppinen
(uncredited)
E Ellen Pyhälä
(uncredited)
T Timo Tennosmaa
(uncredited)
A Anita Saarikallio
(uncredited)
V Varma Lahtinen
(voice) (uncredited)
K Kaisu Puuska
Sten Lehtoja
Toivo Mäkelä
Tuomainen
Eero Roine
Maija
Rose-Marie Precht
Hermansson
Åke Lindman
Kokkonen
Kaarlo Wilska
(uncredited)
S Severi Seppänen
(uncredited)
T Tauno Söder
(uncredited)
I Irja Rannikko

Crew

Director
T.J. Särkkä
Producer
T.J. Särkkä
Novel
H Hans Severinsen
Screenplay
T.J. Särkkä
Original Music Composer
E Einar Englund
Director of Photography
O Olavi Tuomi
Editor
E Elmer Lahti
Assistant Director
Åke Lindman
Production Design
A Aarre Koivisto
Makeup Artist
W William Reunanen
Location Manager
Kaarlo Wilska
Hairstylist
S Siviä Friskberg
Script Supervisor
E Ellen Pyhälä
Sound Assistant
H Harald Koivikko
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
K Kurt Vilja
Production Sound Mixer
K Kurt Vilja