 Vaala also directed several adaptations on works by Frans Eemil Sillanpää, one of which, "Ihmiset suviyössä" (1948), has been called his best film, and is reported to have been one of the director's personal favorites.Another personal favorite of his, and also a popular success, was "Loviisa, Niskavuoren nuori emäntä" (1946), an adaptation from a Wuolijoki play.During Vaala's career, his most popular films reached huge audiences in relation to the size of his home country.