Körkarlen (1921)

Director:

Victor Sjöström

Writers:

Selma Lagerlöf (novel)
Victor Sjöström (writer)

Release Date:

4 June 1922 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror

Plot:

It's New Year's Eve. Three drunkards evoke a legend. The legend tells that the last person to die in a year...

Plot Keywords:

Chariot | Dying Woman | Ghost Story | Runaway Wife | Alcoholic

Cast

Victor Sjöström	...	David Holm
Hilda Borgström	...	Mrs. Holm
Tore Svennberg	...	Georges
Astrid Holm	...	Edit
Concordia Selander	...	Edit's Mother
Lisa Lundholm	...	Maria
Tor Weijden	...	Gustafsson
Einar Axelsson	...	David's Brother
Olof Ås	...	Driver
Nils Aréhn	...	Prison Chaplain
Simon Lindstrand	...	David's Companion
Nils Elffors	...	David's Companion
Algot Gunnarsson	...	Worker
Hildur Lithman	...	Worker's wife
John Ekman	...	Police constable
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edvin Adolphson	...	Man at the inn (uncredited)
Elof Ahrle	...	Ung man (uncredited)
Emmy Albiin	...	Tuberculosis Patient (uncredited)
Anna-Lisa Baude	...	Salvation Army Soldier (uncredited)
Josua Bengtson	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Helga Brofeldt	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Julia Cæsar	...	(uncredited)
Mona Geijer-Falkner	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Carl Harald	...	Man at the inn (uncredited)
Arthur Natorp	...	Salvation Army Soldier (uncredited)
Fridolf Rhudin	...	Young man (uncredited)
Signe Wirff	...	Waitress (uncredited)

Directed by
Victor Sjöström

Writing credits
Selma Lagerlöf		(novel)
Victor Sjöström		(writer)

Produced by
Charles Magnusson	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Julius Jaenzon		(as J. Julius)

Art Direction by
Alexander Bako		(uncredited)
Axel Esbensen		(uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur Engborg	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl-Axel Söderström	....	assistant camera

Production Companies

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Distributors

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1921) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Decla-Bioscop AG (1921) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro Pictures Corporation (1922) (USA) (theatrical)
• Tartan Video (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Grapevine Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Redemption Films (1994) (UK) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Phantom Carriage
The Phantom Chariot
The Stroke of Midnight
Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness
A Carruagem Fantasma (Brazil) [pt]
Ajomies (Finland) [fi]
Der Fuhrmann des Todes (Germany) [de]
Furman smierci (Poland) [pl]
I amaxa fantasma (Greece) (festival title) [el]
Il carretto fantasma (Italy) [it]
Køresvenden (Denmark) [da]
La charrette fantôme (France) [fr]
Wózek-widmo (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

93 min | Germany:100 min | Sweden:107 min (16 fps) (2004 TV version) | 103 min (original release) (18 fps)

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Svensk Filmindustri, Filmstaden, Råsunda, Stockholms län, Sweden

Company:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Trivia:

On 15 April 2005 the Norwegian heavy, psychedelic rock-band WE made a live soundtrack to the movie whilst screening it in the atrium at Studentersamfundet in Trondheim. They wore cloaks and the vocalist; Thomas Felberg sang/wailed the written passages in between scenes.

Quotes:

David Holm: What can I do? What are the words, the prayer - the words?
David Holm: [prays] A sinner whose lips are stained with wickedness, asks, beseeches - Oh, break me, crush me, only save these three innocent ones!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blodigt jävla helvete (2008)

Much said without words.

Much said without words.

This is an excellent movie. It was made in color-not color as in today's films, but a special mono-color use (with shadings) that portrayed meaning, mood, sense and time. It should be seen in color, as it becomes an entirely different film. The story, by Nobel prize-winner Selma Lagerlöf, is effectively presented. One never has a clear sense of real, memory or phantom. Changes going on in Swedish society at the time are subtly layered. Most highly recommend. Try to rent it or find it on-line. I saw it in a Swedish film class and I want to add it to my film library.