Markens grøde (1921)
Director:
Gunnar Sommerfeldt
Writers:
Knut Hamsun (novel), Gunnar SommerfeldtStars:
Amund Rydland, Karen Poulsen, Ragna Wettergreen
"Markens Grode" was based on a very successful book written by the Norwegian Nobel Prize writer Herr Knut Hamsun. In order to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth, the Norwegian Film Institute restored the film thanks to two different copies that were available, a nice restoration including the original tints. The film is an interesting piece of silent archaeology. The film has those elements so dear to Nordics: fantastic, supernatural elements connected with nature, the struggle to survive in a hostile environment, and the endurance of human beings against the odds (something that is universal, not just particular to Nordic culture). Farmers Herr Isak and Frau Inger ( Herr Armund Rydland and Frau Karen Poulsen ) live a rough life in a dry and lonely moor in the North of Norway. When the third child of Inger and Isak is born with a hare lip, Inger decides to spare him a life of gibes and ridicule, preferring to kill him in the greatest secrecy. But she is betrayed and has to spend several years in prison. During her detention, some copper is discovered in the region and the population greatly increases as a result.
Here is the link to the movie at the Internet Movie database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011440/
