| Astrid
Holm, Olaf Aas, Victor Sjostrom, Tore Svenberg, Nils Arehn, Charles
Magnusson, Concordia Selander, Tor Weijden, Hilda Borgstrom, Lisa
Lundholm.
Also known as Thy Soul Shall Bear
Witness, The Phantom Chariot was the most famous of Swedish director
Victor Sjöstrom's pre-Hollywood films. Based on a novel by Selma
Lagerlöf, the film is predicated on an ancient Scandanavian legend.
It is said that each year, on St. Sylvester's Night (New Year's
Eve), a phantom chariot materializes to carry off the souls of those
who have sinned. On one such occasion, David Holm (played by Sjöstrom)
is forced to recall his past misdeeds, especially his brutal treatment
of his wife. Holm's only hope for salvation lies in his performing
a spectacular act of selflessness. As the chariot approaches, Holm
despairs: how can he possibly be redeemed before the clock strikes
twelve? Sjöstrom's masterful direction is superbly complemented
by Julius Jaenzon's multi-exposure cinematography. When artists
like Victor Sjöstrom and Mauritz Stiller were lured away by Hollywood,
their exodus very nearly brought the wrath of "The Phantom
Chariot" on the entire Swedish film industry. |