''Mehed ei nuta'' (

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

for ''Men Don't Cry'') is a 1969

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

n television comedy movie directed by

Sulev Nõmmik Sulev Nõmmik (11 January 1931, in Tallinn – 28 July 1992, in Kuressaare) was an Estonian theatre and movie director, actor, humorist and comedian. He's mostly associated with the comical character of Kärna Ärni and the related fictional villag ...

and written by himself and

Enn Vetemaa Enn Vetemaa (June 20, 1936March 28, 2017) was an Estonian writer sometimes referred to as a "forgotten classic",sleeplessness Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...

are, under the guise of a

resort A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that aims to provide most of a vacationer's needs. This includes food, drink, swimming, accommodation, sports, entertainment and shopping, on the premises. A hotel ...

, moved to a

peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...

and subjected to work therapy. When they realise the deception, they attempt to leave the fake resort, with hilarious consequences.

Plot

The film begins with a radio announcement about a new state-of-the-art sanatorium designed specifically for insomniacs, offering treatment for those unable to sleep. A group of men, each with peculiar reasons for their sleeplessness, signs up for the program, not necessarily to cure their insomnia but for a break filled with relaxation, music, and the allure of a resort-like environment. The medical staff quickly realizes that the participants are healthier than they claim. To teach them a lesson, the nurses send the group to an uninhabited island, housing nothing but a dilapidated fisherman's hut, which they present as a special sanatorium branch. The "patients" soon realize the treatment consists of hard labor, fresh air, and no luxuries—a stark contrast to their expectations. The nurses are determined to administer this unconventional cure, drawing inspiration from the idea that "work turns monkeys into men." Initially, the men rebel, concocting outlandish escape plans involving rafts, swimming attempts, and even romantic manipulations of the staff. Amid the chaos, one participant forms a genuine connection with a nurse, who eventually reveals the truth: they are not on an isolated island but on a peninsula, with the actual sanatorium just a few kilometers away.

Influence

Together with '' Viimne reliikvia'', '' Siin me oleme!'' and ''

Noor pensionär ''A Young Retiree'' () is a 1972 Estonian comedy film directed by Sulev Nõmmik and written by himself and Enn Vetemaa. Together with ''Viimne reliikvia'', ''Siin me oleme!'' and ''Mehed ei nuta'', ''Noor pensionär'' is one of the most influenti ...

'', ''Mehed ei nuta'' is one of the most culturally influential movies of the Soviet era in Estonia. Particularly memorable is the character of a

hypochondriac Hypochondriasis or hypochondria is a condition in which a person is excessively and unduly worried about having a serious illness. Hypochondria is an old concept whose meaning has repeatedly changed over its lifespan. It has been claimed that th ...

protagonist, played by Ervin Abel.

Cast

* Ervin Abel as Hypochondriac * Kalju Karask as Singer * Endel Pärn as Glutton * Voldemar Kuslap as Playboy * Lia Laats as Nurse *

Sophie Sooäär Sophie Sooäär (27 September 1914 – 14 March 1996) was an Estonian stage, television, and film actress and singer and dancer. Early life and education Sophie Sooäär (occasionally credited as Sofie Sooäär) was born in Pärnu in 1914. S ...

as Farmhouse Nurse * Ants Lauter as Managing director *Jüri Makarov as Young captain * Leo Normet as Normet *Marika Merilo as Girl *

as Professor * Helmut Vaag as Head Lifeguard * Vello Viisimaa as Doctor

External links

''Mehed ei nuta''
at the

Estonian Public Broadcasting Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also * ...

Archives * *

SL Õhtuleht SL may refer to: Arts and entertainment * SL (rapper), a rapper from London * ''Second Life'', a multi-user 3D virtual world * Sensei's Library, an Internet site dedicated to the game of Go * Subdominant leittonwechselklänge * Leica SL, a mirro ...

5 July 2003
"Kiirustage, seltsimehed unetud!"
Soviet-era Estonian films 1968 films 1968 comedy films Soviet black-and-white films 1969 comedy films 1969 films Estonian comedy films Soviet comedy films Estonian black-and-white films 1960s Estonian-language films {{1960s-USSR-film-stub