Herrn Arnes Schatz (1919)

Herrn Arnes Schatz: Directed by Mauritz Stiller. With Erik Stocklassa, Bror Berger, Richard Lund, Axel Nilsson. In 16th century Sweden, the lives of three Scottish mercenaries and a vicar’s family intersect after a crime forever alters a small coastal town. As the three try to escape, they find themselves trapped when all ships are frozen in ice.

“In Sweden in the 16th Century, three Scottish mercenaries — Eric Stocklassa, Bror Berger and Richard Lund — escape from a prison and make their way to the coast. Itu0026#39;s the dead of winter, and the sea-road to Scotland is frozen over. Maddened, they invade the home of Sir Arne, burn the place down, steal his treasure and kill everyone except Mary Johnson, who hides, and goes to live at the home of Axel Nilsson, a poor dealer in preserved fish.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSir Arneu0026#39;s treasure carries a curse, however. It was stolen from a monastery when the Swedes dissolved them, and the death of Sir Arne and his wife was foredoomed. The Scottish mercenaries, however, are now likewise doomed. The seas are still frozen over, so they must wait. While they do so, they hear about Miss Johnson. They go to hear her story and Mr. Lund and she fall in love.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s a tale of madness and horror. However, while the German movies in that still-undefined genre were psychological and used an expressionist camera, this Swedish movie by Mauritz Stiller uses an objective one, showing a more terrifying, frozen hellscape than anything Caligariu0026#39;s sick mind ever envisioned. This terror is not made by man or devil. It is G*d who seeks His vengeance.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eStiller and Gustaf Molander adapted a novel by Selma Lagerlöf to make this movie. Molander would direct the sound remake after the Second World War.”