Figure 1.--"Nils Karlsson Pyssling" is oner of Astrid Lindgren's books. This is Bertil, the real life boy, who makes friemds with the mgical imp Nils. Put your cursor on the image to see another frame. See if you can spot Nils' appearance.

Nils wears short pants and long stockings. The movie costuming seems to follow that shown in the charming illustratins from the book. Like Peppi Langstrumpf (Longstockings), Bertrand is wearing long stockings even if the action is taking place in the 70s when no boy or girl were any longer clothed like that in Sweden. A French Canadian reader writes, "Nils' clothing are exactly like those i wore in the 1940s. His short pants are just over the knee and his stockings are ribbed like those boys worn in Scandinavia or Germany until the 1950s. Something strange: the stockings are held up by nothing. The result is that stockings are always pulling down under the knees. No boy or girl wore their stockings without a suspender or at least rubber bands. His wool sweater is really beautiful. I don't like the illustrations in the book even if the clothing are realistic. A reader writes, "I think the modern style knitting is why the stockings are being held up by themselves. That type of knitting did not exist when the movie is supposed to have taken place."

Created: 2:16 AM 7/14/2009
Last updated: 7:15 AM 7/14/2009