Gösta Berlings saga (1924)

Director:

Mauritz Stiller

Writers:

Ragnar Hyltén-Cavallius (writer)
Selma Lagerlöf (novel)

Release Date:

27 October 1928 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Catholic | Fire | Catholic Priest | Melodrama

Cast

Lars Hanson	...	Gösta Berling
Sven Scholander	...	Sintram
Ellen Hartman-Cederström	...	Märtha Dohna
Mona Mårtenson	...	Ebba Dohna
Torsten Hammarén	...	Henrik Dohna
Greta Garbo	...	Elizabeth Dohna
Gerda Lundequist	...	Majorskan; Margaretha Samzelius (as Gerda Lundeqvist)
Jenny Hasselqvist	...	Marianne Sinclaire
Sixten Malmerfelt	...	Melchior Sinclaire
Karin Swanström	...	Gustafva Sinclaire (as Karin Svanström)
Oscar Byström	...	Patron Julius
Hugo Rönnblad	...	Beerencreutz
Knut Lambert	...	Örneclou
Svend Kornbech	...	Christian Bergh (as Svend Kornbeck)
Otto Elg-Lundberg	...	Samzelius

Also Known As:

The Atonement of Gosta Berling
The Legend of Gosta Berling
The Saga of Gosta Berling
The Story of Gosta Berling

Runtime:

183 min | Sweden:130 min (TV version) | Sweden:166 min (2 parts) | 185 min (Swedish Film Institute restoration) | Spain:88 min (VHS version)

Country:

Sweden

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Spain:T | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Forsmark, Uppsala län, Sweden

Company:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Le fantôme d'Henri Langlois (2004)

Soundtrack:

My Heart Belongs To You

Great at times, a touch melodramatic at other times - still very fascinating!

This Swedish silent film classic is most known because it has the legendary Greta Garbo in it - her native break-through as well as her ticket to, first Berlin and Germany, and then Hollywood and international fame and attention.

Other than that - is the film worth seeing for itself? Well.. yes!

First of all; What's the story about??? It's about the young priest Gösta Berling who starts to doubt the words of God and the Bible and what he preaches. He eventually starts to drink heavy and unravel, the congregation turns his back upon him and he is dismissed from the church; a great scandal. He leaves and takes up a position as a tutor for a young girl in a remote area of Wermeland - aka Värmland today with modern Swedish spelling (a traditionally rich Swedish province throughout the Swedish history). Here he struggles on as a newcomer, meeting friends; getting enemies. It's about him starting to lead another way of life and about the impact he has on different people and families in the local area he get to know - and the influence he gains at Ekeby estate, run by the head-strong matron Margaretha Samzelius who takes him under her wings, despite his past... But to what costs? Watch and see.

The film is a bit long and it one can feel like director Mauritz Stiller wants to tell too much in too short time, loosing some of the nerve of the film. The editing could have been better and Stiller could have been wiser and given up on some less interesting sub-plots.

But this is also the problem with Selma Lagerlöf's novel in the first place: It's not considered as one of her best and strongest works (as for ex. "Emperor of Portugallia", "Jerusalem", "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils", "The Löwenskiöld Ring", "The Stroke of Midnight" -> see the outstanding silent film "Körkarlen" (1921)) and when reading it, people have always felt that the most interesting elements of the novel is the characters of Gösta Berling and the middle-age matron at Ekeby; Margaretha Samzelius (their individual history and the tension between them); and less interesting is all the side track stories with all the girls head over heals in love with Berling and different family banter.

BUT what I really like about the film is the great costume and characterization of all the people appearing before us. This is in a way an early 1900th century Swedish world of "Pride & Prejudice" which is very fun to peep in to. The feeling, and the experience of this world, is interesting; And the way Selma Lagerlöf presents and describes the characters of that time is her very strength and what holds everything up those times when the film tend to be a bit over-dramatic...

What also saves this story and excuse some heavy melodrama in scenes at times, is the great acting and some brilliant and breathtaking scenes that stands out from the rest.

Now despite Lars Hanson (Gösta Berling) and Greta Garbo (young Italian countess Elisabeth Dohna): The most memorable parts of this old classic film is definitely the on-screen experience we get of grand thespian Gerda Lundequist (Sweden's greatest theatre actress at that time; a legend in Scandinavian theater history - think, I dunno, Ethel Barrymore?) and her magnificent performance as Margaretha Celsing-Samzelius (the majors wife and matron of the Ekeby estate). Her scenes are the very heart of the film and Lundequist manage to create a mysterious and fascinating portrait of a strong woman with many depths; a characterization very well captured from the original character of the novel. Her scenes with Lars Hanson (in the smithy), with Greta Garbo (at the inn), with her mother (Hilda Forslund) and when her character faces the great blow of her life at the dinner party are indeed the most memorable in the film: all beautifully played, both touching and stirring.

We also get very fine performances from, in particular; Svend Kornbeck (Captain Christian Bergh), Ellen Hartmann-Cederström (Countess Märtha Dohna), Torsten Hammarén (Henrik Dohna - extremely funny character!) and Karin Swanström (Gustafva Sinclaire) in great supporting parts that falls in favor of this film; not to mention the oh so cool Hilda Forslund as Margaretha's severe and strict - and pretty scary (!!!) - old mother.

Filmwise; technically and photo-wise, this classic probably isn't special for it's time. But the feeling of it is at times magical, and with the new score by Bye I give it 8/10: also much for Gerda Lundequist (I totally ADORE her!) plus the rest of the great old actors and for some of those scenes that really got to me. The film is so worth seeing for all these elements, as well as for nice costumes and set decorations. And if you're film interested: it's after all Greta Garbo and her break-through film role. On that point I really think it's a "must see" - and honestly: how many Swedish silent films have you seen? =)

Eta: Since posting this I've now watched the restored, full-length DVD-version from Kino International with the divine score by Matti Bye, so I have to change my vote from a 7 to 8/10 (and change a bit in my comment). The new score lifts the film a pin up (whatever your vote is). So make sure you watch that version!