This is one of the real true classics in Norwegain film. a film which is constantly shown on Norwegian television, still able to draw crowds liking it.
The film, bade by early Norwegian film auteur Tancred Ibsen, is based upon the store of the factual events and probably also some good stories about the petty criminal Gjest Baardsen, which was born in 1791. Though said not to be as charming as the way actor Alfred Maurstad depicts him, undoubtedly the legend of Baardsen has several equalities with the sympathy the legend of Robin Hood got from the poor in his raids around Nottigham Forest. Baardsen was a master thief, and stole More than he could eat and use, and subsequently gave away much of the stolen goods and foods to the poor population, whilst on run from the local police over a wast area of Norway.
Norway was a the time an extremely poor and also unequal society, where the Christan church was amongst the rich. This film is based upon the book by Holger Sinding, which was released in 1880, and is a colorful story based upon the self biography by Baardsen himself. Baardsen became re-known all around the country, not only because he was much sought after by the police all over. He got arrested a lot of times, but somehow managed to break out of prison time after time like an escape artist. In 1827 he was finally arrested and put in jail with a life time sentence at Akershus castle, where he wrote his self biography in no less than three volumes, and also a book about the language Rodi, the language of the traveling gypsy people, and a book about the life as a prisoner. He was freed in 1845, when he started a national tour, selling his books. He died four years later, in 1849.
The film works great, and was a huge success just before the second world war. The film was critically acclaimed for dramatic sense, tempo and charming humor, where Alfred Maurstad manages to give life to the legend as a master thief and a reason for being loved by the poor. Few Norwegian films had managed to be equally appraised by the press.
The film has still the power to enchant it's viewers 75 years later.
