Original subtitles

Restoration of this film was made possible by donations from The Gertrude and Ivar Philipson Foundation

Sir Arne's Treasure a winter ballad in five acts

Sets and wardrove created and supervised by Axel Esbensen Chief engineer: Mats Lindberg

Directed by Mauritz Stiller

a production of Svensk Filmindustri

During the reign of king Johan III a bitterly cold winter swept over Sweden, the likes of which had never been seen in living memory.

The king discovered a conspiracy among his Scottish mercenary troops. The soldiers of fortune were ordered to leave, and were kept under guard until crossing the border.

Their leaders were bold and fearless men. They were arrested and sent to the tower.

Sir Philip... Eric Stocklassa

Sir Donald... Bror Berger

...and the youngest, Sir Archie... Richard Lund

As long as they remained within the bounds of Swedish rule, they dare not reveal their identities. They donned rough hides and claimed to be journeyman tanners, roaming the country in search of work.

...and by the time they reached the border, they were completely famished.

In those days, in Marstrand, there lived an impoverished fish hawker, a man known as Torarin. Most of his time was spent on the road selling salted and dried fish. Torarin... Axel Nilson

"I have had great news today, Grim. The sea has frozen over. Not only the bays and sounds -- but quite far out to sea."

"Since we will pass by the vicarage at Solberga, we could stop there and ask if the ice will bear our weight all the way to Marstrand."

Generally, the dog was still and merely blinked at his master words. But when he heard something that displeased him, he climbed on top of the load they carried, pointed his nose skyward, and howled.

"Dear dog, what do you have against Solberga? Have we not many times swung past the vicarage to pay visit to Sir Arne?"

At the vicarage - the state known as Solberga - the vicar, Sir Arne, ate his supper in the company of his housefolk.

The vicar was an old man who retained his dignity and vigor. Sir Arne... Hjalmar Selander

While the years had not been kind to his wife. The vicar's wife... Concordia Selander

Seated on the other side of Sir Arne was the curate. Curate... G�sta Gustafson

At the far end of the table were Sir Arne's niece, Berghild, and her foster sister Elsalill, an orphan taken in by the vicar's household. Elsalill... Mary Johnson Berghild... Wanda Rothgardt

The only person present not belonging to the household was Torarin...

...and his gaze kept returning to the iron-clad chest at the foot of the four-poster bed. This is were Sir Arne stored a fortune in silver coins, and it was said they filled the chest to the very brim.

Though Torarin was a man of little means, he had no desire to possess this fortune, for he had heard that Sir Arne had taken the money from the large monasteries that once flourished in this country and that the old monks had prophesied that the money would bring ill-fortune.

"Why are they sharpening knives over at Braneh�g?"

"Tell me, why are they sharpening such long knives over at Braneh�g on this very night?"

"Do you not hear the scraping and filing? Do you not hear the hissing and squealing?"

"How can you hear them sharpening knives over at Braneh�g? That estate is miles away. Pray let us finish our supper.

Act II

That very evening a banquet was held at the inn at Braneh�g...

...and all the townspeople were invited.

"The old saying holds true: The closest neighbor is the last to arrive."

"I'll still see them in my mind's eye -- sharpening their knives. God only knows what they plan."

"Fortunately the lady vicar's vision was no more ominous than a few journeyman tanners preparing the tools of their trade."

Long after mignight, a few men left the inn at Braneh�g in order to saddle their horses and return home.

"Come out! Come out! The vicarage is on fire!"

"Last night Sir Arne and his entire household were murdered by three men... who entered the house though the smoke-hole in the roof.. men dressed in rough hides."

"Sir Arne's horse is gone... and so is the sleigh!"

Act III

The impoverished young maid, the sole survivor of the bloodbath, was taken by Torarin to come live with him and his mother in their cottage.

Torarin's cottage was situated at the highest point of the island --

-- and all the Scottish mercenaries, mariners and fishermen, locked in by the ice at Marstrand, used to pass by his cottage on their way to see if the sea had begun to cast off its blanket of ice.

Often were the times Elsalill gazed upon those who passed by.

She would ponder how blessed they were, to have something to look forward to. She yearned for nothing on earth.

"I am not wealthy enough, Elsalill, to feed and clothe you-- so that you may remain idle and nurture your grief."

"Oh, Mother Katri! The last to be slain was my foster sister. She pleaded for mercy, but one of the men stabbed her in the heart."

"Had I not hidden behind a wall, I would be with my dear foster sister now!"

"I hope they are alive, so I may rip their hearts from their chests! I hope they are alive, so I may see them drawn and quartered!"

"We did not come to frighten you, good maiden, but to ask you to share your tale with us."

"We came to Marstrand to book passage to Scotland but all the fjords and sounds are frozen. Now we while away the hours, and would be much obliged if you would share your tale with us."

"Show the gentleman you do not lack the breeding to respond properly, Elsalill! You were born to a higher station and are not a lowly fish wench."

After that day, Sir Archie often ventured to Torarin's cottage to speak to Elsalill.

"God himself has sent you to me, Elsalill!"

"Elsalill, will you accompany me to Scotland ...as my wife?"

"There I will build you a castle -- of wich you will be the distinguished mistress."

"Do you see the hair entwining my hand, Elsalill? Do you see the lock of fair hair?"

"In this very same manner the hair of my foster sister was twisted around the hand of her killer."

"We frighten ourselves, unnecessarily, Elsalill. Look, it was but a few sunbeams shining in from the window."

"Sir Archie! Sir Archie! Why must you call the dead to mind?"

"Leave me, leave me, Sir Archie. For now my mind dwells solely upon the dead."

"Grim, my dear dog, you can no longer doubt that we travel across the sea. Look -- a large ship is locked in the ice."

"What do you say? Shall we call to the skipper and see if he wants to buy our fish?"

If the ice does not break, it would be impossible to set sail for Scotland. Sir Archie wishes to discuss this matter with the skipper.

"A man like yourself, who travels everywhere and hears everything, do you know why God keeps the gates of the sea barred for so long...? Holding us all captive?"

"Once I spent a whole month in Bergen, when headwinds were so strong not a single ship could put out." The skipper... Gustav Aronson

"You see, one of the ships stuck in the harbor was carrying a man who had stolen from the church. And he would have escaped, had it not been for the raging storm."

"As soon as he was brought ashore, the weather turned beautiful and the wind grew peaceful."

"Do you know why I asked why God keeps the gates of the sea barred?"

"He requested passage to Scotland for himself and his men, but I do not like to have such ruffians aboard my vessel."

Act IV

Not long afterwards, Elsalill had a peculiar dream. She thought she saw her dead foster sister standing before her...

Elsalill saw that they were in a room where the proprietress of the tavern had her maid stationed to wash dishes and tankards. Her sister seemed to beckon her to help wash.

The next day, the dream lingered and would not fade...

...and she was irresistibly drawn to the places her foster sister had taken her in the dream.

"Rather than simply standing there, you might come in and give me a hand with the dishes."

"Drink my brother! Sir Arne's treasure is not yet gone."

She could not betray him. He was dear to her heart. She could not send him to be drawn and quartered. She could not bear to see his hands and feet seared off.

"God bless you for coming to see me tonight, Elsalill."

"Elsalill, I have not been to see you for many days, since grave thoughts plagued me. But when I happened upon you just now, my heart told me what I must to do -- to be released from my torment."

"I weep, Sir Archie, for the love I bear in my heart for you is too strong."

"Soon the sea will open and ships will be able to set sail to the country from which I come. Elsalill, won't you go with me?"

"You must go with me, Elsalill, or I will be doomed."

"Tonight I will come for you, Elsalill. I must have your decision... tonight."

"Why are you out here weeping? Why did you not stay in the cellar?"

"I left because I did not wish to hear the words of the evil-doers on your premises."

"I happened, however, to hear three men talking and one said, 'Drink, my brother, Sir Arne's treasure is not yet gone.'"

"If you can witness such words, it is best not to flee. You must go with me to the rightful authorities so they may seize the murderers and duly punish them."

Act V

The skipper sent word to Sir Archie and his men that they may board ship this evening. The sea has begun to open up to the west. They may even escape to Scotland before dawn.

"Go to the inn and settle things. I must speak to Elsalill before we depart."

"Sir Reginald and Philip have gone to the inn while Sir Archie has gone to Torarin's cottage."

"Make haste and fly, the town guards are after you!"

"They are looking for the men who murdered Sir Arne."

"Did you recognize me, Elsalill, and set them upon me?"

"They are coming for you... Go!"

"Have you considered that I will no longer have a hope of ever redeeming myself?"

"Why did you do it, Sir Archie?"

"We had been driven mad by hunger and the cold. We were senseless with drink. I did not know what I was doing."

"Why do you betray me... just when I trustred you most?"

"Do not fear me, Elsalill. I am again the man I once was. I have returned to my senses..."

"...and no harm will befall you on this night either, I assure you."

Using Elsalill as a shield, Sir Archie ran for the door.

A wild wolf of the woods she had loved. An evil murderer she shielded with her own body.

And as Sir Archie took another step, the pike plunged into Elsalill's heart.

All night long the skipper paced the deck of his ketch...

Who could know what possessed the skipper to be out on such a night as this. His crew was safely aboard ship, and so were the passengers destined for Scotland.

It was not until dawn's early light that the skipper saw the sight he was longing for.

Fjords and sounds were now open far out to sea. But the inlet where his ship was iced in showed no channels -- it was frozen solid.

"I implore you to help me find the maid whom the Scotsmen brought to your ship last night..."

"Last night she was abducted by the men who killed Sir Arne and they brought her to your ship."

"The town guard will not venture out this far. Not to a ship carrying a hundred soldiers of fortune. They are unwilling to engage them in battle..."

"Now I know why we have been held back... while all other ships may put to sea. It is because we have evildoers on board."

"Stay calm and obey that man. This is the will of God."

As soon as the criminals were brought to shore, the storm began to rage again.

And from his lofty vantage point of deck, the skipper saw a lengthy procession approach his skip.

It was the womenfolk of Marstrand, both young and old. They were clad in mourning, and youn men carried a bier.

They had come to collect the young maiden who had loved an evildoer... and had given her life to destroy him.

...and in their wake, the tempest tore up the ice over wich they had but lately passed.

By the time they reached Marstrand with Elsalill, the gates of the sea stood open.

The end

The musical score for Sir Arne's Treasure is the result of a collaboration between the Swedish Film Institute and Swedish Filmindustry

The score was co-written by Matti Bye and Fredrik Emilson Instrumentatilst:

Sir Arne's Treasure was restored by the Swedish Film Institute Archive in 2000. The original tints were recreated and footage discovered in London and Copenhagen has been restored.

Subtitles: Ingrid Eng-Rundlow