Miss Julie (1951 film)

Miss Julie

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Alf Sjöberg
Produced by Rune Waldekranz
Screenplay by Alf Sjöberg
Based on Miss Julie 
by August Strindberg
Starring Anita Björk
Ulf Palme
Music by Dag Wirén
Cinematography Göran Strindberg
Edited by Lennart Wallén
Production
company
Release dates
Running time
89 minutes
Country Sweden
Language Swedish

Miss Julie (Swedish: Fröken Julie) is a 1951 Swedish drama film directed by Alf Sjöberg and starring Anita Björk and Ulf Palme, based on the play of the same name by August Strindberg. The film deals with class, sex and power as the title character, the daughter of a Count in 19th century Sweden, begins a relationship with one of the estate's servants. The film won the Grand Prize at the 1951 Cannes Film Festival.[1]

Plot

In spite of being the daughter of a count, Julie had an unhappy childhood. She is haunted by according memories. When her engagement fails, she's even more depressed than usual. A servant offers solace and takes advantage of her. She succumbs to his seductive manners, yet right after this incident she takes her own life.

Cast

Production

Sjöberg had directed a stage adaption of August Strindberg's Miss Julie in 1949, starring Ulf Palme as Jean and Inga Tidblad in the title role. For the film adaptation, not only Palme was kept but also many of the set designs. Tidblad however, at the age of almost 50, was replaced by the 27-year-old Anita Björk. Tidblad's interpretation was held as an ideal by the director and only during the exterior sequences, which had not been part of the stage version, did Björk feel that the part actually belonged to her.[2]

Filming took place between 28 April and 18 July 1950 in Sandrew's studios and various locations in the Stockholm area, including Dalarö, Stora Wäsby Castle, and the Drottningholm Palace Park.[3]

In the book-length interview Hitchcock/Truffaut (Simon and Schuster, 1967), Alfred Hitchcock said he had hired Björk as the female lead for I Confess in 1952, after seeing her in Miss Julie. However, when Björk arrived in Hollywood with her lover Stig Dagerman and their baby, Jack Warner, head of Warner Brothers. insisted that Hitchcock find another actress.

References

  1. "Festival de Cannes: Miss Julie". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  2. Lumholdt, Jan (2010). "Playing the part" (PDF). Swedish Film (Swedish Film Institute) 8 (1): 41. ISSN 1654-0050. Retrieved 2010-02-06.
  3. "Fröken Julie (1951) - Filming locations". Swedish Film Database. Swedish Film Institute. Retrieved 2010-02-06.

External links