Alexander den Store (1917)

Mauritz Stiller directed the silent Swedish comedy of manners, morals and aspiration, Alexander den Store/Alexander the Great (1917) with Hauk Aabel and Stina Stockenstam. Stiller himself wrote the script, based on the Gustav Esmann play of the same name. Alexander the Great is a provincial hotel cook, in whose restaurant not only the dishes can be spicy.


Swedish postcard by Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 877/1. Photo: Svenska Biografteatern AB. Hauk Aabel and Stina Stockenstam in Alexander den Store/Alexander the Great (Mauritz Stiller, 1917). Caption: Alexander has rediscovered his beloved from his youth.


Swedish postcard by Förlag Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 877/3. Photo: Svenska Biografteatern AB. Lilly Ziedner and Hjalmar Lauritz in Alexander den Store/Alexander the Great (Mauritz Stiller, 1917). Caption: A break in the courtship. Depicted are Lt. Squire Axel Axel Bryde (Hjalmar Lauritz), nephew of the Chamberlain Bryde, and Bera Mönther, daughter of State Council member Mönther.

The plot

Alexander Nyberg (Hauk Aabel) is the maitre d' and ruler of an elegant and fashionable restaurant, where beautiful dancers perform and gentlemen and ladies like to drink in private rooms. Among the vistors are the sisters Signe (Stina Stockenstam) and Filippa (Anna-Lisa Lindzén). Signe performs on stage and has an old, faithful admirer in Alexander Nyberg. Filippa sets out to catch the rich businessman Moses Isacsen (August Miehe), with whom she is happy to drink in private.

However, zealous people led by Thea Mönther (Gucken Cederborg), a government minister' wife, and Teodor Lampe (Harald Madsen), a theology graduate, have formed a 'mrality association'to combat the growing immorality. Nberg's restaurant is singled out in particular. Now begins a wild merry-go-round, where both the cheerful practitioners of “immorality” and its strict, puritanical opponents get involved in one comical and easily misunderstood situation after another in various rooms at Alexander Nyberg's restaurant.

But the superb maitre d' manages to sort it all out in the end. Meanwhile, Thea Mönther is doing everything she can to marry off her daughter Bera (Lili Ziedner), who certainly cannot be accused of any excessive beauty. The designated victim is the deeply indebted chamberlain's nephew, squire Axel Bryde (Hjalmar Lauritz), who is finally forced to accept Bera. The engagement is announced at a grotesque soiree at the Society of Morals.

At the same time, it is decided to open a 'family hotel' as a counterweight to the evils of the time. The strongest thing that can be served there is lingonberry soda. Alexander Nyberg is appointed to manage the new hotel and supervise its guests. Professor Lampe also makes daily inspections of the kitchen and dining room, where he usually gets into trouble.

Bera and her fiancé look at a sketch of their future bedroom, and Filippa surprises Isacsen with an engagement ring. Meanwhile, Nyberg is fired as manager of the 'dry' family hotel. But then an old friend of Nyberg's shows up, waving thick bundles of banknotes and persuading him to open a brand new, Grand Hotel Nyberg. Said and done. It opens with the grand society wedding between Bera and her chamberlain, and the evening ends with Alexander Nyberg, now bigger and more powerful than ever, proposing to Signe and getting her yes.


Swedish postcard by Förlag Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 877/5. Photo: Svenska Biografteatern AB. August Miehe and Anna-Lisa Lindzén in Alexander den Store/Alexander the Great (Mauritz Stiller, 1917). Caption: Wholesaler Isacsen's engagement.


Swedish postcard by Förlag Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 877/6. Photo: Svenska Biografteatern AB. Hauk Aabel, Stina Stockenstam, August Miehe, and Anna-Lisa Lindzén in Alexander den Store/Alexander the Great (Mauritz Stiller, 1917). Caption: Wholesaler Isacsen's engagement afternoon at Hotel Thea.

The cast

Hauk Erlendssøn Aabel (1869-1961) was a popular Norwegian comedian and actor in Norwegian and Swedish film. After Alexander den Store and one one Norwegian silent film, Troll-Elgen (Walter Fürst, 1927), he mainly acted in 1930s Norwegian sound cinema. He played the lead in the comedy Jeppe på bjerget (Per Aabel, Harry Ivarson, 1933).

Stina Stockenstam (1884-1919) acted in only three Swedish silent films in 1916-1917, including Alexander den Store. She acted on stage e.g. at the Old Theatre in Gothenburg. Stockenstam already died at the age of 34.

Anna Elisabet 'Anna-Lisa' Lindzén (1888-1949) was a Swedish operetta singer and actress. In addition to Alexander den Store, she only played in one other Swedish silent film, Den förgyllda lergöken (Bror Berger, 1924).

August Miehe (1889-1936) was a Danish actor.

Hjalmar Lauritz (1881-1921) was a Swedish stage actor. Squire Axel Axel Bryde in Alexander den Store was his only film role. Lauritz started his theatre career in 1899 at the Anna Lundberg-Axel Collin tour. From 1900 to 1903, he attended the Dramatic Theater's student school and in 1903-1904, he performed at the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki. In 1904-1905 he was engaged by Hjalmar Selander, in 1905-1907 by Emil Strömberg, in 1907-1909 by Axel Hultman, and then by Allan Ryding until his early death, with the exception of an engagement at Skådebanan in 1911-1912. Lauritz had a wide range as an actor. He could play both character and farce roles. Among his most notable roles are Richard III in Shakespeare's play, Armand in 'The Lady of the Camellias', Edgar and Kurt in 'The Dance of Death', Professor Higgins in 'Pygmalion', and Karl-Henrik in Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's 'Old Heidelberg'.


Swedish postcard by Förlag Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 877/7. Photo: Svenska Biografteatern AB. Anna-Lisa Lindzén in Alexander den Store/Alexander the Great (Mauritz Stiller, 1917). Caption: Ms. Filippa at the Hotel Thea.

Sources: Svensk Filmdatabas, Wikipedia (Swedish) and IMDb.