红花之歌

“SangenOmDenEldrödaBlomman”(“SongOfTheScarletFlower”)wasarecentandremarkablesilentsurpriseforthisHerrVon;theoeuvreisanexcellentHerrStillersilentfilmthatthisGermancountwatchedinanewlyrestoredandtintedcopy.Itcombinesthewell-knownaesthetics,technicalimprovementsandartisticmeritsforwhichtheNordicdirectorwasknownandpraisedsincethoseearlysilenttimestilltoday.ThefilmtellsofthemerryandcarefreelovelifeofyoungOlof(HerrLarsHanson)awoodsmanwhoduringhissearchfortruelove,seducesmanyfrauleins(justlikethisGermanaristocrat…well,notexactlybecausethepurposeofthisHerrVon’sseductionofrichfräuleinheiressesaretheirgreatfortunes…).Hewillsufferdisappointmentanddeception,allthoseproblemsthatturnupinanylovingrelationship.Finallyhewillfindresponsibilityandmaturity,learningduringhisparticularquestthathisactionsalwayshaveconsequencesindifferentdegreestothepeoplearoundhim.ThisHerrVoncandescribe“SangenOm…”asakindofcomingofagefilm,thespecialintrospectivegrowthtowardmaturityofafreeandeasyyoungster.AsthisGermancountsaidbefore,thefilmdisplaysStiller’scharacteristicartisticvirtues.;inthefirstpartofthefilm,wecanseeelementsofcomedy,notexactlylikethecomedyofintriguesinotherStillerfilms,buthumorofamorecheerfulsort,highlightingtheself-involvementofourhero.Olof‘sfrivolousflirtationswiththedifferentgirlseventuallyturnromanticandthenturnintodrama.ThereisconflictinthetroubledrelationshipbetweenOlofandhisfatherandlaterwiththefatherofhisbeloved.ThebeautifulandwildnaturallandscapesofNorrlandandnorthernSwedenlendthetaleacertainpowerandischaracteristicofHerrStiller’sothersilentswhereNatureemergesasanimportantcharacterinthestory.ThisisstronglyreflectedthroughoutthefilmbutespeciallyduringthefranticscenewhereinOlofdescendsintothetroubledwatersofariver,abeautifulmetaphorforthehardshipsthatourherohastoendureuntilhefindshimself.“SangenOmDenEldrödaBlomman”isanexcellent,beautifulfilm,asolid,technicallyperfectandintricateproductionof1919thatdemonstratesonceagaintheimportanceofHerrStillerforsilentfilmhistory.