The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is a feel good book that is easy to read and makes you laugh. If it were made into a Pinoy Movie, Dolphy could have been perfect for the role.
Book Overview
The book started with Allan Karlsson who was supposed to celebrate his 100th birthday. But instead of staying at the old people’s home to celebrate with the home director and mayor, he left the place by climbing out of his window. While many thought he disappeared, Allan actually made a brand new start for himself where he met criminals, a huge sum of money and even an elephant. From a missing person, he became a suspect, a murderer and then an innocent man again.
Allan’s journey also told us about his past where he met presidents, prime ministers and dictators. He even met Albert Einstein’s half brother. With all the reference to real historical characters, I can’t help but read more about the facts and history of socialism.
Meet Allan Karlsson
Allan seems to have no ambition in life. He let life takes it course and simply follow where it would take him. As he often says, “Things are what they are, and whatever will be will be.” That’s why, if he gets imprisoned, he gets imprisoned. If he is asked to work with the CIA, he works with the CIA.
Only one thing is important to Allan and that is vodka. Where there is vodka, decisions are made easier for Allan. But not necessarily the correct decisions. It was also vodka that motivated him to climb out of the window on his 100th brithday. He follows his father’s advice that “You should beware of priests, my son. And people who don’t drink vodka. Worst of all are priest who don’t drink vodka.”
Allan doen’t have a true profession but he likes making bombs. You can’t really call him a bomb or rocket expert yet he helped build the atomic bomb. Because of that, he got to meet Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, Mao Tse-Tung, Joseph Stalin, Charles de Gaulle, and Kim Il Sung. He also got to travel from his home town in Sweden to Spain, USA, China, Russia, and North Korea.
It’s Funny
The book was so funny. I would laugh loud while reading the book. The narrative seems to be taken from a slapstick movie. And as I out picture out the scene, I would burst out into laughter on how ridiculous the scene was. Imagine Allan asking an enrage Stalin “Why don’t you shave off that moustache?” You can guess where Allan landed next after that meeting with Stalin.
My favorite parts were when Allan was in Russia and when Allan met Herbert Einstein. In both instances, Allan made a bad fortune turn into a good one. And if vodka was involved, expect Allan to be more persistent and stubborn.
Forrest Gump + Dolphy
The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is being likened to the movie Forrest Gump. There are a lot of similarities between the book and the Forrest Gump Movie. Both characters have lived a life that contributed to world history without them know it. Both characters seems naive yet talks with sense. Both were told in present time and flashbacks of their past. So it is not surprising for the book to be made into a movie as well.
Speaking of a movie, I would visualize Allan Karlsson as Dolphy whenever I read the book. I would even translate some scenes into Filipino and the punchline gets exaggerated making me laugh harder. If Dolphy is still alive, he would be perfect to play the role of Allan. Old and slow, but funny and witty.
Upcoming Movie
The movie for The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is schedule to be shown on December 15, 2013 in only Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands and France. The release date for US and UK are still to be announced. It will be distributed worldwide by Buenavista International. I hope it gets shown here in the Philippines too.
The main cast and production team are mostly Swedish. I find that better than having it adapted for Hollywood.
Here’s the movie trailer for The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared.
Get you own copy of The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared at Amazon.com
