A Man There Was

For students of film, this is a must-see. Sjostrom proved to be highly influential in the development of Scandanavian and Northern European film. His output was prolific, but TERJE VIGEN is one of my favorites-- it captures well the angst and anxiety so pregnant among Scandanavian and Danish masters (Dreyer and Bergman come to mind as spiritual successors/contemporaries of Sjostrom). TERJE VIGEN, in particular, is one of those stories that will haunt but also reward. The cinematography is what one would expect of a film that is literally more than 100 years old-- innovative for its time, it is very subtle. Where this film really shines is in the phenomenal acting, especially by Sjostrom himself.

A Man There Was tells the story of Terge Vigen, a Swedish seaman played by director Victor Sjöström who plucks up the courage to take on the British Empire's naval blockade of trade routes which in turn is slowly starving out his small village, wife and child. Set mostly amid the chaotic northern sea and coastlines, Sjöström creates a wonderfully moody and sombre atmosphere throughout filled with strife and tension, an impressive and fitting soundtrack (on the 2008 DVD version), distilled by beautiful intertitles taken from a Henrik Ibsen poem. Although it has its moments and overall is an enjoyable feature, its short runtime, sometimes plodding pacing and lack of significant plotting stop the movie from ever truly taking off beyond being a mere mood piece.

Made by the legendary Victor Sjöström at the dawn of cinema, this 1917 picture is a true masterpiece, as per usual when it comes to Sjöström.

The art of silent filmmaking is one somewhat lost in time, focusing almost exclusively on the visual language and cinematography - and in that department, Terje Vigen shines. It's such a beautifully shot movie and the slow pacing and long shots tell so much more than any words ever could.

The story itself is very well-written as well, and the actors do a good job of conveying the characters.

Overall, one of the most important and innovative films ever made!

If this movie had been made in 1923, I'd have been more blasé, but for 1916 it's nothing short of miraculous.

The open-air filming is smooth and well-executed. The emotional rawness is hit hard but never gets overheated. The acting is intense but does not stray into laughable "stagger-and-clutch." Dutiful fidelity to Ibsen's poem may cramp the subtitles, but never interferes with masterful story-telling in the film itself.

There is one sequence, in which a launch from a British warship destroys a fisherman's rowboat and then attempts to hunt down the fisherman while he's swimming for his life underwater, that is an absolute classic that will live in your memory.

This film is short, but very powerful, and worth going the extra mile to see.

Terje Vigen (1917) directed by and starring the father of Swedish cinema, Victor Sjöström, is a true masterpiece of early cinema.

The story is simple and revolves around Terje Vigen, a sailor, who suffers the loss of his family through the cruelty of another man. Years later, when his enemy's family finds itself dependent on Terje's beneficence, Terje then must decide whether to avenge himself.

When comparing Terje Vigen to its peer films of the 1910's such as L'Inferno (1911), From the Manger to the Cross (1912), The Straw Man (1914), Birth of a Nation (1915) and even the masterful Intolerance (1916), what stands out in Sjöström's film making is it's emotional impact rather than its production design or acting prowess. It is a mature depiction of human pain, suffering and redemption, that far succeeds its historical immaturity. Also particularly noteworthy is Rodulf Sahlberg's amazing score for the film.

Ii highly recommended it for film buffs and those interested in cinema history. Victor Sjöström's protegé, Ingmar Bergman would continue the beginning of the Swedish film making legacy in becoming one of cinema history's most revered directors.