Herr Arnes pengar (Sir Arne's Treasure)

In 16th-century Denmark, three Scottish mercenaries steal Pastor Arne's treasure, massacre everyone in the household except his adopted daughter Elsalill and burn the house to the ground. Later Elsallil unwittingly falls in love with the gang's leader, Sir Archie, but betrays him when she discovers the truth. Under the influence of his friend Victor Sjöström, Stiller moved from sophisticated comedies nearer the more sombre Swedish literary tradition with the first of his films based on the novels of Selma Lagerlöf, in which the close relation between the landscape and the characters is explored. Particularly impressive in this regard is the climax, when a procession of black-robed figures follow a coffin across a frozen lake. (Foreign Film Guide)