| The Blizzard | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Mauritz Stiller |
| Produced by | Charles Magnusson |
| Screenplay by | Mauritz Stiller Alma Söderhjelm |
| Based on | En herrgårdssägen by Selma Lagerlöf |
| Starring | Einar Hanson Mary Johnson Pauline Brunius Stina Berg Hugo Björne |
| Cinematography | Julius Jaenzon |
| Studio | AB Svensk Filminspelning |
| Distributed by | AB Svenska Biografteaterns Filmbyrå |
| Release date(s) | 1 January 1923 |
| Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | Sweden |
| Language | Silent Swedish intertitles |
The Blizzard (1923) is a Swedish silent drama film directed by Mauritz Stiller and starring Einar Hanson, Mary Johnson, Pauline Brunius and Hugo Björne. The film's original Swedish title is Gunnar Hedes saga (The Story of Gunnar Hede). The film is based on the Selma Lagerlöf novel En herrgårdssägen, and involves a student, Gunnar Hede, who tries to prevent his family from losing their mansion.
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AB Svensk Filmindustri (SF) had initially tried to make a film adaptation of Selma Lagerlöf's En herrgårdssägen in 1915, and Gustaf Molander had developed a screenplay. However, the film was cancelled.
In the early 1920s the plans were revived and the project was given to Mauritz Stiller, who is credited as writer together with the Finnish-Swedish author Alma Söderhjelm. The screenplay differs from the original story in several regards, and the opening titles call it a "free adaptation" of the novel. Just like Stiller had done when he made his previous Lagerlöf adaptation, Sir Arne's Treasure, and Victor Sjöström had done with his, Stiller travelled to Lagerlöf and presented the screenplay to have it approved.
Lagerlöf was however deeply dissatisfied with the liberties Stiller had taken, and the production company had to convince her to not denounce the film publicly.[1] The film was produced through AB Svensk Filminspelning, a subsidiary of SF which only existed from 1922 to 1923.[2]
Lars Hanson was originally cast in the role of Gunnar Hede, but was replaced by Einar Hanson soon before production started. This was was Einar Hanson's first leading role in a film.[1] Principal photography took place between February and June 1922 in the Filmstaden studios, with exteriors in the surrounding area, Nacka and Kallsjön in Jämtland.[3]
The film premiered on 1 January 1923. The film was sold to 17 markets abroad, which was significantly fewer than Stiller's five previous films.[4]
The Blizzard is partially lost, with only about two thirds of the original film still existing.[1] On July 16, 2011 at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival presented a print of the film which had restored as much as possible of the original version.[5]