The Phantom Carriage 1921

    This film is based on the Nobel-Prize winning novel Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness by Selma Lagerlof published in 1912.  It is also based on an ancient Scandinavian legend.  Three men who are drunk tell about the legend.  The last person to die in a year, if he is a great sinner, will have to drive the Phantom Chariot during the entire year.   Each New Year's Eve, the Chariot carries off the souls of those who have sinned.  David Holm is forced to recall his past misdeeds.  His only hope lies in performing an act of selflessness to avoid the phantom chariot.

    This is like A Christmas Carol but it is much more hardcore!!  It is a silent movie in black and white.  It is notable for its special effects and they were advanced for this time period. The narrative is structured with flashbacks within flashbacks.  Shooting took place from May to July 1920 in the newly started Filstaden studios in Solna.  The set design was inspired by the southern Swedish town Landskrona.  This area looked like the location Lagerlof had in mind while writing the novel.  There isn’t any sugar coating here!!  4* (I really liked this movie)

106 min, Drama directed by Victor Sjostrom and written by Selma Lagerlof and Victor Sjostrom with Hilda Borgstrom, Astrid Holm, Tore Svennberg, Lisa Lundholm, Concordia Selander, Mona Geijer-Falkner, Nils Ahren, Anna-Lisa Baude, Tor Weijden, Einar Axelsson, Olaf As, Nils Arehn, Simon Linstrand, Nils Elffors, Algot Gunnarsson, Hildur Lithman, John Ekman.

Note:  Imdb 8.1 out of 10 with 9,819 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 100% with 14 critics 90% audience score with 1,475 ratings, Slant Magazine 4* out of 5* Joseph Jon Lanthier, Letterboxd 4* out of 5*

Special Note:  Ingmar Bergman watched this film at least once every summer.  He viewed it alone or in the company of younger people.  He stated that this film, to him, was once “the film of all films.”  It was the main influence on his own work.  The film should have been heavily censored?  This would be due to its supernatural content and in accordance with the censorship guidelines of 1921.  The board of censors decided to leave the film intact rather than risk a dispute with Selma Lagerlof.  Director Victor Sjostrom disguised himself as a poor man and spent time in the slums of Stockholm in order prepare for this movie.  Sjostrom traveled to author Selma Lagerlof’s house in Marbacka to read the scenario out loud.  He acted out the entire screenplay in front of her.  Afterwards, he fell down on the sofa totally exhausted.  She looked at him for a long time and then asked if he would care for a drink?  That was her seal of approval.  Charlie Chaplin said that this was the best film ever made.