The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki

Original title: Hymyilevä mies

2016
Unrated
1h 32m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

5.1K

YOUR RATING

Oona Airola in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)

Trailer for The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki

Play trailer1:36

2 Videos

35 Photos

Boxing Biography Drama Romance Sport

The true story of Olli Mäki, the famous Finnish boxer who had a shot at the 1962 World Featherweight title.The true story of Olli Mäki, the famous Finnish boxer who had a shot at the 1962 World Featherweight title.The true story of Olli Mäki, the famous Finnish boxer who had a shot at the 1962 World Featherweight title.

Director
- Juho Kuosmanen
Writers
- Juho Kuosmanen
- Mikko Myllylahti
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

5.1K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Juho Kuosmanen
Writers
- Juho Kuosmanen
- Mikko Myllylahti
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 13 wins & 15 nominations total

Videos2

Trailer 1:36

The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki

Trailer 1:35

The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki Trailer

Trailer 1:35

The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki Trailer

Photos35

+ 29

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
In 2011 in Kokkola city theatre, director Juho Kuosmanen saw a play about Olli Mäki, who was also in the audience that night. After the play, the theatre director Jarkko Lahti posed together with Mäki for a picture. Kuosmanen said to Lahti that if he directed a film about Mäki, Lahti could play the leading role. Lahti took that as a promise and began training boxing. He even took a few official amateur bouts (which he lost) and thus it became obvious that he really would play Olli Mäki in this film.

Goofs
A modern switchboard housing can be briefly seen in the hallway of Elis Ask's apartment.

Quotes
Olli Mäki: What if I lose? What if people are disappointed in me and realize I'm not the guy they advertised? What if you're disappointed?
Raija Jänkä: How could I be disappointed when I haven't asked anything of you? If anyone's disappointed, it's because of his own stupid fantasies. You're not responsible for them.
Olli Mäki: Is that so?
Raija Jänkä: Yes, it is.
Olli Mäki: Will you marry me?
Raija Jänkä: Will you become the world champion?
Olli Mäki: Of course I will.
Raija Jänkä: Okay, I'll marry you.

Connections
Featured in The Dinosaur (2021)

Soundtracks
Angelo
Written by Miika Snåre
Lyrics by Laura Airola
Arranged by Ykspihlajan Kino-orkesteri

User reviews14

Review

Featured review

To him it is a happy day

This film tells the story of an amateur boxer in Finland, who decides to challenge the World Champion of boxing from the USA. He gets an agent and invites the champion to Finland for a round of home fight. The story then concentrates on how he prepares for this major tournament in Finland.

The film is black and white, which is appropriate as it is set int he 1960's. The story is about this simple man who seems to have no idea what he is doing. Olli is about to fight the match of his lifetime, and yet he is so nonchalant about it. His heart has clearly another agenda, which is not aligned with his agent's agenda. It makes me wonder why he is doing the match in the first place. His attitude and behaviour leads to the eventual inevitable outcome, but I still feel for him. Olli does have his charms, just not in the boxing ring.