colour, dolby stereo, 115 min./95 min.
Finnish premiere November 30, 1984
directed by Mika Kaurismäki
screenplay Mika Kaurismäki, Aki Kaurismäki, based on the novel "Klaani" by Tauno Kaukonen
cinematography Timo Salminen
sound Mikael Sievers
design Matti Jaaranen
edited by Mika Kaurismäki, Raija Talvio
music Anssi Tikanmäki
production Jaakko Talaskivi, Anssi Mänttäri / Villealfa Filmproductions
cast
- Markku Halme (Aleksanteri Suuri Sammakko)
- Minna Soisalo (Miriam Andersson)
- Lasse Pöysti (inspector Sillanpää)
- Juhani Niemelä (Samuel Sammakko)
- Kari Väänänen (Leevi Sammakko)
- Antti Litja (Benjamin Sammakko)
- Mikko Majanlahti (Birger Andersson)
- Sakari Rouvinen (Robert Andersson)
- Tuija Vuolle (Ulla Sammakko)
- Soli Labbart (grandmother Saara)
- Ville Salminen (grandfather Alexander)
- Eila Halonen (Raakel)
- Matti Pellonpää (Ritsari)
- Veijo Pasanen (priest)
- Hannu Lauri (banker)
- Sampo Saaristo-Nuotio (young Aleksanteri)
- Jorma Markkula, Esko Nikkari, Matti Viironen (inspectors)
- Tauno Karvonen (workshop foreman)
- Arno Virtanen (prosecutor)
- Erkki Ruokokoski (mother's new husband)
- Orvokki Mäkinen (hag from next door)
- Rauha Wolska (thrift shop owner)
- Rauli Lehtonen (judge)
- Martti Syrjä, Kirsi Lahtinen, Tauno Pollari, Olli Lehtimäki

The Frogs are a family of petty criminals, whose youngest son Aleksanteri Suuri Sammakko tries to break from the family tradition of burglary and theft. Eventually, he is unable to avoid walking in his ancestors's footsteps.

The film captures the spirit of the classic "Suomi-Filmi" movies on many levels. It could be argued that Klaani is one of the most "Finnish" films by the brothers (with the probable exception of Pidä huivista kii, Tatjana). The film incorporates a characteristic love scene in a barn, a standard feature of Finnish cinema of the 30's and 40's.

The original version of "Klaani" runs for almost two hours, but a shorter version of 94 minutes has been shown on Finnish television in 1996 and as part of the exhaustive retrospective Il cinema di Aki e Mika Kaurismäki in Bologna and Turin, Italy, April and May 1998.

Contrary to the information in Suomen kansallisfilmografia 9, 1981-85 (The Finnish National Filmography, Pt.9), the courthouse sequence was not filmed at the present court building at Kelloportinkatu 9. In 1984, when Klaani was filmed, the Tampere courthouse was located in its former location at Hatanpään valtatie 18.