Herr Arnes pengar (1919)

The Swedish silent masterpiece Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919) is a crime drama based on Selma Lagerlöf’s novel The Treasure. Set on the Swedish coast in the 16th century, the film stars Richard Lund as Sir Archie, a Scottish mercenary who has escaped from a Scottish prison and fled to Sweden.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/1. Photo: Richard Lund in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919).


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/2. Photo: Richard Lund, Bror Berger and Erik Stocklassa in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: In Prison.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/3. Photo: Concordia Selander and Hjalmar Selander in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: Why do they sharpen the knives on the Branehös?


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/4. Richard Lund, Bror Berger and Erik Stocklassa in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: The Robbers' Escape.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/5. Richard Lund, Bror Berger and Erik Stocklassa in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: The Robbery.

Forces of nature can't be conquered

Swedish film and theatre actor Richard Lund (1885–1960) was a prolific star of early Scandinavian cinema. He worked for the two most important Swedish directors of the silent era, Victor Sjöström and Mauritz Stiller. The crime drama Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (1919) was directed by the latter. The film was produced by Svenska Biografteatern.

Richard Lund plays a Scottish mercenary who, together with his cronies Sir Donald (Bror Berger) and Sir Filip (Erik Stocklassa), has escaped from a Scottish prison and fled to Sweden.

There he murders the family of Sir Arne to obtain a treasure, after which he unknowingly starts an affair with the daughter of the murdered family, Elsalill (Mary Johnson).

Sir Arne’s Treasure still goes as one of if not the masterpiece of the Swedish silent cinema. Jerzy Toeplitz wrote in his Geschichte des Films (1972): “As with Sjöström, Nature plays a leading role in Stiller. Already in the first images, the snow creates the atmosphere of the action. In the tragic finale, the sea becomes a contributor. In the small port of Marstrand lies the ship that should return the Scots to their home. But it is wedged by ice floes. [...]

When the situation is strained to the utmost, because the forces of nature can't be conquered, in the city the news spreads that the criminals want to flee. In the battle with the town guards, Elsalill dies and Sir John Archie is captured. A long train of grey-clad women arrives at the ship to take off the corpse of Elsalill, after which the ice bursts and the occupied ship begins to move. Too late the silent, dangerous sea shows up.”


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no 1078/7. Richard Lund and Mary Johnson in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: Elsallil, do you want to follow me to Scotland and become my wife?


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/8. Richard Lund, Bror Berger and Erik Stocklassa in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: On the Lookout.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/9. Mary Johnson in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: The next day the dream did not leave Elsalill's mind.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/10. Mary Johnson in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: After the discovery.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/11. Mary Johnson and Stina Berg in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: The hearing.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/12. Richard Lund and Mary Johnson in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: They have come now to arrest you, escape!


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/13. Richard Lund and Mary Johnson in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: With Elsallil before him like a shield, Sir Archi stormed out.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1078/14. Mary Johnson in Herr Arnes pengar/Sir Arne's Treasure (Mauritz Stiller, 1919). Caption: The spear had penetrated into Elsallil's heart.

Sources: Jerzy Toeplitz (Geschichte des Films - German), Wikipedia and IMDb.