Ektemann alene

It is midsummer in Oslo. There is intense activity on pier 1 just before the fjord boat is about to depart. The pier is crowded with people: families going to the countryside and fathers staying behind at home. Mrs. Rigmor Sande and her two children, Vesleper and Titten, are already on board and standing by the railing. Dad Per Sande, the soon-to-be grass cutter, is frantically searching for the family's suitcase, which has gone astray. The moorings are released and the boat is ready to depart. "You can leave your husband behind, but not your suitcase," exclaims the lively 21-year-old Ellen Stenersen. She and Per are left standing on the pier. They are old acquaintances and neighbors in the country. Per doesn't think being a grasshopper is so bad. He and his friend Stoffer throw themselves into the temptations of Oslo. The men are also accompanied by Ellen. Per and Ellen develop warm feelings for each other.

Directed by Nils R. Müller, Ektemann alene leans on a strong ensemble — Lars Nordrum, Eva Strøm Aastorp, Karen Randers-Pehrson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1956.