"Rudolfa mantojums" (Rudolph's legacy) is certainly among the best by Latvian legendary film director Janis Streics, comparable to his "Limuzins Janu nakts krasa" and "Cilveka berns".
Before watching the film, I was a bit afraid Streics could fall at the trap of "Liktendzirnas" or "Vecas pagastmajas misterija" - both too saturated, trying to cope with several plots at once. However, I was happy to find the plot to be well developed, vaguely based on Rudolfs Blaumanis' short novels, but none in particular. He has managed to catch so-called "Latvian soul", creating a natural, warm and intimate feeling of a wealthy 19th century farmer and his family.
There are some small drawbacks though. Streics himself is from another region of Latvia, and it is too visible in his choice of music. Also, the episode in Latvian Society House does not seem natural. Some episodes might seem obscure to international public, like one with water diviner's wand. The film is hard to classify. It is close to being a piece of art but also has some entertaining and educational content.
