Gösta Berlings saga (film)
Encyclopedia
The Saga of Gosta Berling is a 1924 Swedish romantic drama film directed by Mauritz Stiller
and released by AB Svensk Filmindustri
, starring Lars Hanson
, Gerda Lundequist
and Greta Garbo
in her native break-out role on film. The film is based on the 1891 debut novel of the same name
by the Swedish author and Nobel Prize
winner Selma Lagerlöf
. It is also known as Gosta Berling's Saga, The Story of Gosta Berling and The Atonement of Gosta Berling.
In 1927 the film was recut, shortening it by almost half the running time. This is the version that was archived for the future. In 1933 a sound version was released theatrically in Stockholm
, with the intertext cut out, along with additional cutting and altered chronology for some of the scenes.
Twenty years later most of the missing material was discovered, and a restored version with new intertext was again released in theatres. This version has since had new parts added throughout the years as they have been found, but about 450 meters of film from the original cut is still missing. In 2005, the film was given a new score by pianist and silent film music composer Matti Bye.
. The new release includes English subtitles, the new music score by Matti Bye, and restoration of the film to a length of 185 minutes. A Swedish DVD followed in 2007.
Mauritz Stiller
Mauritz Stiller was a Finnish-Swedish actor, screenwriter and silent film director, who was mostly active in Sweden.-Life:...
and released by AB Svensk Filmindustri
AB Svensk Filmindustri
AB Svensk Filmindustri or Svensk Filmindustri is a Swedish film production company, distributor and movie theatre chain, currently owned by the Bonnier Group. It was established on December 27, 1919....
, starring Lars Hanson
Lars Hanson
Lars Hanson was a Swedish film and stage actor, internationally mostly remembered for his motion picture roles during the silent film era.-Biography:...
, Gerda Lundequist
Gerda Lundequist
Gerda Carola Cecilia Lundequist was a Swedish stage actress, an Ibsen and Strindberg-thespian that in her time was known throughout Scandinavia as "The Swedish Sarah Bernhardt".-Career:...
and Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
in her native break-out role on film. The film is based on the 1891 debut novel of the same name
Gösta Berlings saga
Gösta Berling's Saga is the debut novel of Selma Lagerlöf, published in 1891. The novel is a notable and still much read example of the 1890s wave of Swedish Neo-romanticism. Using wolves, snow, supernatural elements and eccentric upper-class characters to project an exotic image of 1820s...
by the Swedish author and Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner Selma Lagerlöf
Selma Lagerlöf
Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf was a Swedish author. She was the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and most widely known for her children's book Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige ....
. It is also known as Gosta Berling's Saga, The Story of Gosta Berling and The Atonement of Gosta Berling.
Cast
- Lars HansonLars HansonLars Hanson was a Swedish film and stage actor, internationally mostly remembered for his motion picture roles during the silent film era.-Biography:...
as Gösta Berling - Greta GarboGreta GarboGreta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
as Elizabeth Dohna - Sven Scholander as Sintram
- Gerda LundequistGerda LundequistGerda Carola Cecilia Lundequist was a Swedish stage actress, an Ibsen and Strindberg-thespian that in her time was known throughout Scandinavia as "The Swedish Sarah Bernhardt".-Career:...
as Margaretha Samzelius - Ellen Hartman-Cederström as Märtha Dohna
- Mona MårtensonMona MårtensonMonica Ingeborg Elisabeth "Mona" Mårtenson was a Swedish film actress. She appeared in 28 films between 1923 and 1949.She was born and died in Stockholm, Sweden.-Selected filmography:* I kantonnement...
as Ebba Dohna - Torsten Hammarén as Henrik Dohna
- Jenny Hasselqvist as Marianne Sinclaire
- Sixten Malmerfelt as Melchior Sinclaire
- Karin Swanström as Gustafva Sinclaire
- Oscar ByströmOscar Byström (actor)Oscar Byström was a Swedish actor. His career in film started with a small role in Gösta Berlings saga...
as Patron Julius - Hugo Rönnblad as Beerencreutz
- Knut Lambert as Örneclou
- Svend Kornbech as Christian Bergh
- Otto Elg-Lundberg as Samzelius
Different versions
The film was originally released as two parts in Sweden, Gösta Berlings saga del I on 10 March 1924, and Gösta Berlings saga del II seven days later. The two-part version was also used in Finland and Norway, but for the rest of the world a shorter, one part export version was made.In 1927 the film was recut, shortening it by almost half the running time. This is the version that was archived for the future. In 1933 a sound version was released theatrically in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, with the intertext cut out, along with additional cutting and altered chronology for some of the scenes.
Twenty years later most of the missing material was discovered, and a restored version with new intertext was again released in theatres. This version has since had new parts added throughout the years as they have been found, but about 450 meters of film from the original cut is still missing. In 2005, the film was given a new score by pianist and silent film music composer Matti Bye.
Home media
In 2006, the film was released for the first time on DVD by Kino International with the support of the Swedish Film InstituteSwedish Film Institute
The Swedish Film Institute was founded in 1963 to support and develop the Swedish film industry. The institute is housed in the Filmhuset building located in Gärdet, Östermalm in Stockholm...
. The new release includes English subtitles, the new music score by Matti Bye, and restoration of the film to a length of 185 minutes. A Swedish DVD followed in 2007.