The Best Intentions (1992) Movie Script

1
Your grandfather is expecting you
in Room 17, sir.
On the first floor.
Come in.
Good day, Henrik.
Good to see you.
Thank you.
I'm glad you could come.
Please, do sit down.
Your grandmother has told me to find you.
She says it is her last wish.
She says you are to go
and see her in the hospital.
She wishes to beg your forgiveness...
for all the difficulties she and I and our family
have caused you and your mother.
Nothing could be more meaningless
than this conversation.
I dislike witnessing a gentleman
I respected for his inhumanity
suddenly becoming sentimental.
I can't go to your grandmother
and tell her you've rejected me.
I can't tell her
you don't want to see her.
I think you'll have to.
I know your aunts have given you a loan
so that you can continue here in Uppsala.
I'm offering to pay off that loan.
What do you say?
What do you want me to say,
Grandfather?
I'll pay off the loan
and guarantee a monthly allowance
for the rest of your mother's life.
All you have to do is go
to the Academic Hospital,
Ward 12...
and make peace
with your grandmother.
Grandmother and I have lived
together for fifty years.
It hurts now, Henrik.
I beg you for one moment of mercy.
Not for me.
I don't ask that.
I ask it for her.
You're going into the church, Henrik.
So you most know something about love.
Have mercy on a sick
and desperate human being.
Do you hear what I'm saying?
Go to the woman called my grandmother
and tell her from me
that she lived her life
with scant regard for my mother or me.
She was aware of our misery
and sent little presents
at Christmas and on birthdays.
Give my regards to that woman,
and tell her she deserved
her life and death.
She will never have my forgiveness.
Give her my regards and say I despise her
for the sake of my mother,
and for my own sake.
Just as I loathe you
and people like you.
Are you going to hit me,
Grandfather?
THE BEST INTENTIONS
Are you asleep, Papa?
Yes, indeed.
I'm asleep
and dreaming I'm asleep.
I'm dreaming I'm sitting in my study
and am asleep.
Then the door opens
and in comes the most beautiful,
the most loving,
the most affectionate of them all.
And she comes over to me
and blows on me with her gentle breath
and says, "Are you asleep, Papa?"
Then I dream I'm thinking,
it must be like this
to wake up in paradise.
You should learn to take off
your glasses when you're resting, Papa.
Otherwise they might fall
on the floor and break.
You really are just like your mother.
What is it, dear heart?
- Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.
- Thank you, my dear.
Sit still, Papa.
Then I can comb your hair
and make you look respectable.
Weren't we having a guest to dinner?
Wasn't your brother going to
He's a friend of Ernst's.
Ernst says he's reading theology.
Does he indeed!
If our Ernst befriends an apprentice priest,
the end of the world must be nigh.
Ernst says he's terribly nice.
Rather shy, but awfully nice.
He's also said to be frightfully poor,
but handsome.
Ah, now I understand this unexpected
interest in Ernst's latest friend.
- Did you have a good rest?
- Oh, yes, yes.
- Good evening, boys.
- Good evening, Father.
- Good evening, Grandfather.
- Good evening, little ones.
Welcome to you all.
Ernst, are you sure you told your friend
that dinner was at 5:00?
I emphasized that we were
insanely punctual in this family.
I was delayed. I'm late.
You can still have dinner,
but perhaps in the kitchen.
I'm terribly
I'm usually
Come, don't make dinner any later.
No, I don't think I dare.
We kerbloms are indeed rather alarming
when we're all together as a family,
especially when dinner is delayed.
But you should pluck up
your courage, all the same.
The food's terribly good,
and I made the dessert myself.
There.
Now, come on. For my sake.
Mr. Bergman apologizes.
He's been visiting a sick friend
and had to go to the chemist's.
There was a queue,
so he was delayed.
- This is my mother.
- Welcome to our home, Mr. Bergman.
I hope your friend isn't seriously ill.
- No.
- He's only broken his leg.
- This is my father.
- Welcome.
My half brothers,
Gustav, Oscar and Carl.
- How do you do.
- How do you do.
This is Svea,
who is married to Oscar.
Martha and Gustav
and their daughters.
This is Torsten Bohlin.
He is considered to be my intended.
So now you know the whole family.
I suggest we go in to dinner at last.
Who's broken his leg?
No idea.
It was your sister who
Ah, yes,
you must watch out for her.
Mr. Bergman will sit beside Martha.
Anna, here beside Papa.
Then we can say grace.
For what we are about to receive
may the Lord make us truly thankful.
Amen.
And how are your studies going,
Mr. Bergman?
Very well, thank you.
Good-bye.
My name's Anna
and yours is Henrik, isn't it?
Yes.
Sorry for just dropping in like this.
I don't suppose you've eaten all day.
I've brought some beer
and cold meat.
I must go down for a pee.
Come.
Anyhow, maybe we won't have a child now.
I'm going home now.
It's getting light.
You stay there
and try to get some sleep.
I won't see you for a few days.
I'm going home to see Mama.
I could come with you.
One day you'll come with me.
Do you think that'll ever happen?
We'll get married one day, Frida.
Your mother doesn't even know
we're engaged.
She can say what she likes.
Henrik, why does it all have
to be so secret? No one
Let's just take one thing at a time.
Have you ever been in love,
Miss Lisen?
Yes, there was someone at first,
trying to pull my skirt over my head,
but there was so little time,
I never found out what his intentions were.
I'm off for a bicycle ride.
- What about coming with me, Anna?
- In this heat?
- Have you got the towels?
- Of course.
- Good-bye.
- Good-bye, Mama!
Bye!
Anna.
Tell me, who is your beloved?
Papa, of course.
And you, of course.
And Torsten Bohlin.
Don't be silly.
Torsten Bohlin's not my beloved.
But someone is.
Yes, maybe.
Oh, I don't know.
By the way, would you like
to come into town with me some day?
- I don't think Mama would ever let me.
- I'll see to that.
What would you do in town
in the middle of July?
They've just set up
a meteorological institute there.
And it might be rather nice
to be alone at home.
You'll have to talk to Mama.
I don't think she'd ever let me go.
Who else is going to cook my meals?
Who's going to darn my socks
and make sure I go to bed on time? Eh?
Anna, we might have some fun.
I'll take my bike, you go by train,
and we'll meet in Trdgrdsgatan.
- Hello, hello.
- Hi!
How nice that you could both come.
Nice to see you again, Anna.
- Is it good being home alone?
- Wonderful.
Thanks for the meal.
I always eat too much
when Anna does the cooking.
Your food is too good, Anna.
What do you think, Henrik?
Isn't my sister a good cook?
- Wonderful.
- Just what I would say.
- Do you think there are any cigars?
- Look in Papa's desk.
They're probably rather dry.
So you're going to be a nurse?
Wait a minute.
That's me as a nurse.
There on the ground floor is the school.
There's the lecture room.
And up there are the rooms
where we sleep.
It's quite good.
Good teachers,
though strict.
And long days,
never less than twelve hours.
From 6:00 in the morning
until 7:00 in the evening.
- I'm very tired by then, Henrik.
- Yes.
The uniform is not exactly becoming.
I think it is.
But the cap's pretty.
And then we're given a little brooch
like this to fasten at the neck.
Though we don't get that
until we've qualified.
My sister's going to be a sister,
my sister, Sister Anna.
You two look good together.
Don't spoil everything
just when we're having such a nice time.
Are you asleep?
No, I knew you weren't asleep.
I said to myself, I'll go in
and tell Henrik how things are.
It's not good
that you are here with me.
Though it's much, much worse
when you're away from me.
What shall we do?
Well, there are really
only two possibilities.
Either I say,
"Go away, Henrik," or...
"Come into my arms, Henrik."
And you think
both possibilities are bad?
I'm frightened too.
I mean, that all this
will be taken away from me.
It's always like that.
It's always been like that.
You and Ernst live in your world,
inaccessible to me.
Do you understand, Anna?
We can always postpone
the decision for a few hours.
- Good night, Henrik.
- Good night.
- I'll be back soon.
- Bye then.
Bye.
- First we must state our failings.
- Oh, no.
I daren't.
You'd just run away.
Well...
Mama says I'm stubborn.
I'm impatient.
I'm selfish.
Pleasure-loving.
My brothers say I'm bad-tempered
and get angry at nothing.
Well, what else?
Ernst says I'm vain.
I like looking at myself in the mirror.
Mama says
I'm much too interested in boys.
As you see,
there's no end to my failings.
My greatest failing
is that I'm confused.
What do you mean?
Well, I'm confused.
I often do what others tell me to.
I have so many emotions.
That also confuses me.
I've nearly always got a guilty conscience.
That sounds difficult.
Now we're both unhappy.
Shall we kiss now?
Then we'll be happy again.
- Wait, there's one thing I must
- Oh, I'm tired of all this nonsense.
I suppose we're engaged now.
Now we're engaged.
No.
Oh, aren't we engaged?
I must go.
We mustn't see each other again.
You have someone else?
Well, you've nothing
to reproach yourself with.
Not really.
You could have said
something last night...
but everything was so unreal then.
I understand why you said nothing.
What about our beautiful future now?
I want to live with you.
But I didn't know that yesterday.
So you're thinking
of abandoning her,
whatever her name is,
or whoever it is?
If you want to know, her name's Frida.
She's a few years older than me.
She also comes from up north.
What does she do?
She works as a waitress,
at Restaurant Flustret.
Oh, a waitress.
Is there anything wrong
with being a waitress?
No, of course not.
You forgot to mention one
of your more serious failings.
You're clearly snobbish.
I was stupid to take part
in this game.
How could I have been so stupid!
Do you know what I'm going to do now?
I'm going straight back to her
to ask her forgiveness
for my stupid, foolish betrayal.
I'm cold.
I'll tell her what we've both said and done
and then ask her forgiveness.
- Hey, what's all this?
- Let me pass.
Quarreling already?
You don't waste much time.
Anna, my heart, what have you done?
I'm sure I love him.
And Henrik?
I'm sure he loves me too.
Are you ill too?
You don't look well.
No, it's nothing.
How can you say anything so silly?
As if I couldn't see something's wrong.
I'm unhappy, I suppose.
Is there something you want to tell me?
No.
It seems that way.
Come here
and let me give you a hug.
Are you afraid of catching my cold?
Get undressed and come to bed then.
This is utterly idiotic.
Just because Charlotta rings up for some
gossip, you come all this way for nothing.
Nothing?
To have a male guest
staying overnight in secret
Is that nothing?
- Who invited him here?
- I did.
Actually, I was the one
who invited him.
That boy's going into the church
and he doesn't even know
how to protect a girl's honor.
You were in his room at night.
Charlotta heard your voices
through the wall.
Yes, and so what?
We were talking about our engagement.
If you want to know, Mama,
I love him and I'm going to marry him.
Maybe you also went to bed with him?
No, I didn't.
But if he'd asked me to, I would have.
- Anna.
- Mama asked me and I answered.
- And if you get pregnant?
- Difficult at that distance.
Anna.
If I may suggest something, Mama.
I suggest Anna writes
a nice letter to him,
and you add an invitation for him
to join us at our summer place for a week.
Never!
That blackguard and seducer.
If anyone's a seducer in this affair, it's me.
Don't forget that, Mama.
If you start being difficult,
then I really will seduce him and have his child.
And then you'll have to marry me off
I think you underestimate
your mother's determination, my dear Anna.
Mama, despite everything,
nothing's happened.
Henrik's just a good friend of mine.
You wanted to speak to young Bergman.
Do you want to read your letters
and newspapers first?
No, no, let him come.
Actually it was you
who wanted me to speak to the boy.
- I don't know what to say.
- Yes, of course you do.
Would you like to smoke, Henrik?
A cigar, or perhaps a cigarillo?
Of course,
you can smoke your pipe.
- Is that English tobacco?
- Yes.
Of course.
If I use my binoculars,
I can see the railway station
over there across the lake.
I amuse myself by checking
arrivals and departures, you see.
I have a timetable here of express trains,
passenger trains and goods trains,
so that I can watch and compare.
It's an old man's little amusement
for someone who's spent his whole life
with railway lines and engines.
Well, perhaps you're not particularly
interested in railway engines?
I've never really thought
about them in that way.
No, of course not.
How are your studies going?
Very well, thank you.
Fancy there being so much to learn
just to enter the church.
One wouldn't have thought so.
- What do you mean, sir?
- Well, what do I mean?
One would think, seen from
an uncommitted, lay point of view,
that being a priest is
more a matter of vocation.
One has to be
What's it called now?
"A fisher of souls."
One has to have convictions,
first and foremost.
What kind of convictions?
One has to be convinced
that God exists
and that Jesus Christ is his son.
So that's your conviction, is it?
Yes. I'm rather childish.
I have a childish faith.
Aren't you afraid of death?
No.
So you believe man is
resurrected to eternal life?
Yes, I'm quite convinced of that.
Well, I'm damned.
And the forgiveness of sins?
And the Sacrament?
The blood of Jesus to thee given?
And penances? Hell?
Then you believe in hell?
One can't say I believe in this,
but I don't believe in that.
And when will you be qualified?
If all goes well,
I shall be ordained within two years.
Then I'll be given a parish.
Not much to start with, eh?
Not enough to start a family on, is it?
The church likes to see
its young priests marry.
A pastor's wife plays
an important role in the parish.
I suddenly feel rather tired.
Perhaps I'll go and lie down
for a while on my bed.
I hope I haven't been a nuisance.
No, not in any way,
my young friend.
A sick man who rarely thinks
about eternal questions
may understandably
be somewhat shaken
by talk of death and the inevitable.
Look into the camera, everyone.
Papa, your smoke's blocking
those behind you.
- You mustn't smoke.
- No, no.
We must be careful.
Promise me you'll be careful.
So you've stayed behind to work,
Mr. Bergman?
Yes, I've been far too idle
over my church history.
- And what does Anna say?
- Anna understands.
Oh, Anna understands.
That's excellent.
Mr. Bergman, would you be so kind
as to help me with winding my wool?
Yes, of course.
Are you going home to Sderhamn
to see your mother tomorrow, Mr. Bergman?
I'll probably go straight to Uppsala.
The term doesn't start for a while,
does it?
I have to study hard
on my church history.
How have you found
your stay with us?
To be honest,
I have been
a little scared and tense.
But, my dear boy, why scared?
The kerblom family is an alien world.
I feel I'm being weighed up
and found wanting.
But, Mr. Bergman,
all families are like that.
We're certainly no worse
than any other.
It's perhaps worse than that.
I have been made to feel unwelcome.
And you believe that, Mr. Bergman?
Forgive me,
I don't mean to be discourteous.
But I can't get rid of the feeling
that I'm not tolerated.
Particularly by Anna's mother.
Well...
I'll try to be honest with you,
although I may well have
to hurt your feelings.
My antipathy
is entirely to do with Anna.
I know my daughter fairly well,
I like to think...
and I believe her liaison with you,
Mr. Bergman,
would lead to a disaster.
That is a strong word
and I realize it may seem exaggerated,
but nonetheless
I must use the word "disaster."
I cannot think of a more impossible
and fateful combination
than our Anna and you.
Anna is a spoilt child, willful,
headstrong, emotional,
tenderhearted.
What she needs is a mature man
who can nurture her with love,
firmness and unselfish patience.
You, Mr. Bergman,
are a singularly young man
with little insight into life,
and, I fear,
with deep and early wounds
beyond healing or consolation.
May I say something?
Yes. Of course.
I refuse to continue this conversation.
The fact remains that
with all my power and all my means,
I shall stop my daughter
from having anything more to do with you.
You can't possibly stop Anna,
Mrs. kerblom.
- The future will reveal that.
- Exactly.
I'll go to Anna now
and tell her of our conversation.
Perhaps you could enlighten me
about your engagement.
I understand
it is still going on.
Anyhow, Miss Strandberg has denied
it has been broken off.
My stepson Carl has
been making some inquiries.
We already knew the truth a week
before you came here, Mr. Bergman.
I have no intention
of saying anything to my daughter,
presuming we come to some agreement.
I must write a letter.
- I must tell her how things stand.
- Do as you think best.
Whatever happens
there will be a great many tears.
- May I ask one more question?
- Yes, certainly.
Why did you let me come here,
Mrs. kerblom?
I wanted to see my daughter's love
at close quarters.
And the misfortune had already occurred.
- What do you mean by "misfortune"?
- I mean just what you mean.
In that case, I can say
that you made a serious misjudgment.
Go and write your letter, Mr. Bergman,
and leave on the 3:00 train.
- Anna won't be back until later and then
- Then I'll have gone.
Mr. Bergman!
Here's some sandwiches for the train.
- Good-bye then.
- Thank you very much.
Mama.
Mama!
Mama, where are you?
Mama!
I won't submit to this.
Mama!
Come in and close the door.
He says we'll never see each other again.
He may have his reasons.
There isn't a single sensible reason
in this letter.
Did you make him write it?
No, I didn't make him.
But when I found out the circumstances,
I advised him to go.
What circumstances?
- I'd rather not
- If you don't tell me the truth,
I'll go and find him immediately.
No one can stop me.
- You're forcing me.
- What do you know that I don't, Mama?
About Frida? He's already told me.
He's been completely honest.
Now listen to me, my dear.
Your brother Carl has absolutely
irrefutable information
that Henrik Bergman is still living
with that woman.
I'll refrain from going into details.
You must draw your own conclusions.
You aren't saying anything.
I won't submit to this.
And what will you do?
Anyhow, it's time for dinner.
Perhaps you'd like some in your room.
I'll tell Lisen to bring you
some milk and sandwiches.
I'll never forgive this.
Whom will you never forgive?
Is it me you'll never forgive?
Or your friend?
Or life perhaps?
Or God?
Can't you leave me alone?
- My poor little girl.
- Oh, stop it!
Don't give me pity!
Do you want us to go back?
No, wait here.
Don't stand there watching me.
No, you may not touch me.
Surely we can talk to each other?
Just for a few minutes?
You've misunderstood everything,
Henrik.
I don't want to talk to you.
We have nothing more to say.
You must leave the girl alone.
You're frightening her.
Don't interfere in matters
that are no business of yours.
You're behaving like an idiot.
Anyhow, we haven't time to stand here.
Leave me alone, Henrik.
Please, Henrik,
I'm asking you as kindly as I can.
- Leave me alone!
- I can't go on living.
Oh, don't be so pretentious.
No doubt you can go on living, and so can I.
- Anna, talk to me!
- Don't touch me, I say.
Don't touch me.
No, don't.
You're disgusting.
Thank you.
It was kind of you to come.
I suppose I was curious
after your letter.
- Are you all right?
- A cold that won't go away.
Have some mineral water.
I haven't used the glass.
Thank you.
That's kind of you, Miss Strandberg.
There's been a lot of sickness this year.
- Has there?
- Yes, it's the strike.
People fall ill when they're unhappy.
You're training to be a nurse,
I believe?
Yes, I'm just going back
to nursing school.
I would like to have been a nurse.
But I had earn my own living
rather young, so
What do you want of me?
It's about Henrik.
I'm asking you to take him back.
He's He's
He's falling to pieces.
It sounds strange,
saying it like that,
but I can't think of a better expression.
He studies late into the night
and has become so poorly.
I don't really know much
about your relationship.
He hasn't said anything.
I've mostly guessed.
I try not to get angry and hurt.
No one can help their feelings.
I can't help getting furious,
for instance.
Or that I like him
despite his feeble behavior.
Do you know what I think,
Miss kerblom?
I think we're three poor wretches
suffering in secret.
And I feel I have to be the one
to strike the first blow, so to speak.
For my own sake.
I've no intention of letting myself
be hurt or humiliated.
He lies in my bed
and weeps for someone else.
That's humiliating...
for both of us.
I'll tell you something, Miss kerblom,
that I think about all the time.
Somehow he hasn't got
a real life at all, poor thing.
So nothing's worthwhile.
I must go now
if I'm to be at work on time.
And what ought I to do?
Take him, Miss kerblom.
It must be your decision.
Henrik's the finest
and best person I know.
He's so kind and good.
I know no one better.
I just want things
to be right for him at last.
Things have never been right
for him in his miserable life.
He needs someone to like...
so that he doesn't have
to hate himself so much.
I really must go now
or I'll be in trouble at work.
Not that it matters much,
because I'm giving up the job.
You may be interested to know
I'm leaving town.
I've got a job in a new hotel.
Please let me pay.
I'll pay at the till,
if you'd like to stay for a while.
Perhaps we'd better not
march out of here together.
Good-bye, Miss kerblom,
and look after that cough.
Dear Henrik,
I want us to
Wouldn't you like a hot drink,
dear?
Let me feel your forehead.
You really are ill.
I'm going to telephone Matron
and tell her you're ill.
I can't have you going out like this.
Leave me alone.
Please leave me in peace.
You mustn't phone Matron.
She hates us making a fuss.
Though a hot drink would be nice.
Dearest, dearest Henrik,
We must
Papa!
Dear kind Papa,
can't you look after me?
Of course.
I can't cope with anything any longer.
I don't know what to do.
I know I have to take responsibility,
but Papa, I just can't cope.
No, no.
There now, there now.
Now I'm going to put
my little girl to bed
and ring Dr. Frstenberg
and Matron.
Then you'll have something
to make you sleep,
and tomorrow
we will decide what to do.
Will that be better, dear?
Yes, that'll be better.
There now.
Good day, Mr. Bergman.
Please excuse my unannounced intrusion.
Hellish cold in here, Mr. Bergman.
Forgive me if I keep my coat on.
Would you please sit down?
Please sit down, I said.
- I'll not take up too much of your valuable time.
- What's this all about?
The family felt
that you should be informed
and I was the most appropriate messenger.
Say what you have to say
and then go.
Well, now.
I've been sent here
to tell you the following.
Listen now, Mr. Bergman.
My sister Anna is ill.
She has tuberculosis.
One lung is infected
and there are fears for the other.
She is being nursed
at home at present.
As soon as her health permits,
she is to go to a sanatorium
in Switzerland...
where she will be
adequately treated.
Anna also wishes me to tell you
that she wants nothing further to do with you.
She expressly asks you not to write
or to telephone her
or wait for her outside the house...
or in any other way
impose yourself on her.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
A branch can be healthy in appearance,
with thick foliage,
but no fruit.
Would it upset you if Anna
and I made a detour through Italy?
I think it'd be fun to go
to Amalfi just once more.
You could come with us, Johan.
You must go. Not me.
Anna would be so pleased.
Then you'd be away
for quite a long time?
Four weeks, at the most.
Do you think she'll want
to wait that long?
What do you mean?
Well, I just meant that perhaps
there's something she wants
to come back to,
now that she's well again.
I don't really understand.
You weren't at home
when the afternoon post came.
Here's a letter from Anna to Ernst.
Postmarked in Weimersville
four days ago.
Ernst will be back from Norway next week.
There's no point in forwarding it.
Anna forgot to seal the letter.
Or she didn't seal it properly,
and it came open.
That's nothing unusual.
It often happens
But there's another letter
inside this letter.
Another letter?
It says on the envelope...
"Henrik Bergman,
to be forwarded
as I don't know his address."
But that letter's sealed.
That letter was sealed,
but I opened it.
- Have you read it?
- No, I haven't.
Ashamed to, perhaps.
If we read it,
then we're doing it for Anna's good.
Or out of jealousy.
Or because we're furious
that she's gone behind our backs.
Or because we don't approve
of that young man.
May I see?
"It's all long ago.
The long time
I've spent at the sanatorium
with contemporaries
who are much sicker than I
- has made me think again"
- Don't read any more.
If you don't want to hear it,
I'll read it to myself.
It's not right, Karin.
"I don't know anything.
But if after almost two years...
you still feel the same for me
as you did when we were
when we were together"
You have only yourself to blame.
"at the hut, when we made love"
"It's so easy
to say you love someone.
I love you, Papa.
- I love you, brother Ernst."
- Strange to think
"But you're really using a word
you don't know the meaning of.
So I daren't write
that I love you, Henrik.
But if you would take my hand
and help me out of my great sorrow,
then perhaps we could teach each other
what that word entails."
Now we know more than we wanted to.
It's going to be difficult now.
We can't suppress the letter.
- He oughtn't to get it.
- I beg of you, Karin.
What if she finds out that we
Letters get lost.
It happens every day.
It mustn't happen.
That's silly, Johan.
- Do you really imagine we can
- No.
Perhaps not.
But now I'm going to tell you
something important.
Sometimes I'm positive
something is right or wrong.
I'm positive it's wrong
for Henrik and Anna to be together.
So I'll burn the letter to Ernst
and the letter to Henrik.
And I'll go to Italy with Anna
and stay away all summer if necessary.
Are you listening, Johan?
- Good night, my dear.
- Good night, Karin.
It's so complete.
So disciplined,
and yet so poetic.
Isn't it lovely, Anna?
Shall we go back for lunch,
or shall we eat out?
I know an excellent place
quite near here.
- You decide, Mama.
- Then I suggest we eat at the hotel.
I had a letter from your brother Oscar.
Papa's longing for us to come home.
I can't think why Ernst doesn't write.
Ernst?
You know what he's like.
I wrote to him seven weeks ago.
- Well, I shouldn't worry.
- I'm not worrying.
He knows Papa and I write
to each other almost every day.
Mama, I want to go home.
Can't we go home tomorrow?
Straight home?
But our itinerary is all fixed.
Can't one ever change what's fixed?
- What will the Egermans say?
- I don't care what the Egermans say.
They're your friends, not mine.
Elna is actually
a childhood friend of yours, Anna.
Oh, bother Elna.
- Actually, damn Elna.
- This is just silly, Anna.
We'll do what we agreed to do,
and that's that.
Mama.
It's a telegram.
Let me see.
Papa died last night.
No.
He was alone, Anna,
and it was in the night.
Come and sit down, Mama.
- He was alone and I wasn't there.
- Mama.
I left him all alone.
Don't think like that, Mama.
Mama.
Mama.
There.
What is it, Mama?
There, there, there.
There's something you should know.
It concerns you.
But it can wait, can't it?
All right, then you'd better tell me
what it is that's so important.
It's about Henrik.
Yes?
You write to him, don't you?
Yes, that's true.
I have written to him.
But I haven't had an answer.
My letter must have gone astray.
No, it didn't go astray.
You have to know this.
I took the letter,
read it and burnt it.
I destroyed the letter.
No, Mama.
I have to tell you about it,
because your father warned me.
He said it was not right.
He said we had no right to interfere.
That it would do harm.
He warned me.
I have no excuse.
I thought that I was doing it
for your own good.
Mama.
Now that Johan's gone,
I realize I must tell you what happened.
I don't want to know any more.
I can't even ask
for your forgiveness,
because I know
you'll never forgive me.
I don't think so.
At least you know now.
As soon as we get home,
I'll find Henrik and tell him the truth.
All I ask of you is one thing.
Don't tell him I burnt the letter.
Why not?
If you marry Henrik.
Don't you see?
If you tell him,
his hatred will be insurmountable.
We have to live together,
don't we?
Why?
Now you know.
Yes.
Now I know.
We should get some sleep.
Tomorrow is going
to be a long day.
You're different.
So are you.
You're more beautiful.
You look sad.
I've missed you.
I'm here now, Henrik.
Is it true?
Yes, it's true.
I'm here now.
I want to give you something.
Look and see what it is.
It's nothing special.
I bought it the day we left Amalfi.
It's not genuine, of course.
It's Mary at the Annunciation.
It's beautiful.
- Your father is dead.
- Yes.
The funeral is the day
after tomorrow.
Is it hard for you?
I lived in his love,
if you see what I mean.
I never thought about it,
except when it troubled me.
That's Ernst.
I asked him to come.
I didn't dare be here by myself
if you weren't here.
Ernst wanted us to bet five kronor
on you being at home.
And you were.
Ernst has won his five kronor.
I have a temporary post
in a small parish not far from here.
And I've been urged to apply
for a permanent post up in the north.
And you're no longer on your own.
No, no.
I can change my mind.
No, don't be silly, Henrik.
If you've promised, you've promised.
We'll go there and take a look
The parish priest is said
to be old and ailing.
Then we'll take a look at him too.
You realize my stipend will be
pretty miserable.
Now listen, Henrik.
First of all, we'll get engaged,
as soon as the funeral is over.
We'll order the rings this afternoon
so that we have them on Saturday.
Then you must write
to the parish priest
and tell him that you and your future wife
will be coming to the parish
to inspect the parsonage,
the church and the parish priest himself.
Then we'll get married.
We'll have a splendid wedding,
Henrik.
What are you looking at?
I'm looking at you.
We've waited long enough now,
Henrik.
- We mustn't forget the kisses.
- No.
Kisses are important.
Oh, your fiance is even more beautiful
than in the photograph you sent.
Dear child, I hope
you'll be happy with my boy.
We'll see, Henrik,
are you happy now?
How small he was.
Poor little Henrik.
But isn't that awful?
That's me and I'd already
become "Fat Mama."
All my family were fat.
And then skinny little Henrik
How we pampered and mollycoddled him!
Heavens,
how we loved and spoilt you.
Remember when we used to play that
you were the priest and I was the congregation?
You were so good and sweet,
we just wanted to eat you.
And you were always happy
and good-tempered
and friendly and polite.
Alas, you never wanted
to be with other children,
although I invited your friends back.
But Henrik just ran away
and locked himself in the privy.
Anna, dear,
you'll have to look after him.
Life's never been particularly kind to
And now...
Henrik's the priest...
I so wanted him to be.
- That's what matters.
- You mustn't cry, dear Mama.
Let's all be happy this evening.
You can come and stay with us
for long spells, Aunt Alma.
We'll have plenty of room
in the parsonage.
Dear Mama,
we'll never abandon you.
The hard times are over.
Everything will get better.
"The hard times are over."
As if you knew.
What do you know about my life?
I've no intention
of imposing on your kindness.
I know I'm not very clever,
but I'm not stupid.
You two must live your own life...
and I will bring mine to a close.
That's how it should be.
That's sure to be Freddy,
an old friend of mine.
I'll let him in.
Excuse me.
The youngsters are going on
again tomorrow.
- They're going to Forsboda.
- Forsboda?
Yes, that's right, to inspect
the parsonage and the church.
Oh, congratulations
on your appointment.
Henrik's father was one
of my closest friends,
Miss kerblom,
but he was much younger than me.
On the other hand,
I got to know Henrik's grandmother.
Your grandmother once spoke
about you, Henrik.
Yes?
She thought your grandfather
and the rest of the family
had been terribly unjust
to you and your mother.
That the very thought of you
and your mother's defenselessness
and misery made her ill.
- And then she died, poor thing.
- Yes, then she died.
Did you see your grandmother
before she passed away?
- She had a great need to
- I was studying for my exams.
Did you meet your grandfather?
We met, but we had nothing
to say to each other.
I was at the funeral.
I didn't see you.
I wasn't at my grandmother's funeral.
I see.
Good night, Aunt Alma.
Thank you for letting us come.
It's been such a nice evening.
- Shall I turn the lamp out?
- I'll do it later.
- Don't forget it.
- No.
Anna's a sweet girl.
Yes.
She's a very sweet girl.
Beautiful.
A real little princess.
You must take care of her.
It's still like a dream.
I still can't believe it.
Good night, my dearest beloved boy.
Oh, what cold feet!
- They'll soon warm up.
- My feet are always warm.
I put them outside the covers
and then it's so lovely to pull them back in.
You and your pleasures.
Yes, I expect I'll teach you.
What'll you teach me?
Well?
Yes, please!
Your mother might hear us.
Just think, here I am lying in my old bed,
cuddled up with you.
I can't believe it.
You must go back now.
We mustn't fall asleep together.
I'm not sure Mama
would bring us coffee in bed.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Don't forget me.
I've already started thinking
about you.
Dear Lord, forgive me my sins,
today and all days.
Dear Lord,
keep and bless my little boy.
Dear Lord,
forgive me
that I cannot love that girl.
Dear Lord,
take her out of Henrik's life.
If I am wrong,
if my thoughts are simply
darkened by malice,
punish me, dear Lord.
Punish me.
Not him or her.
I've got something for Anna.
Your mother's been crying.
Her eyes are red
and her face is swollen.
She's always swollen.
And I think she likes crying.
I was given this medallion
on the day I got engaged.
Henrik's father gave it to me.
It had cost much too much,
of course,
but he never bothered about money.
As you see, Anna,
it has an A engraved on it.
So I thought you should have it now,
as a gift from Henrik's father,
as if he were present.
It's much too precious.
- You shouldn't.
- Hush now, silly girl.
It's a simple gift.
I'm sure you're used to better.
Thank you.
Next stop, Forsboda!
Here's to you, Pastor,
and here's to your delightful
young fiance.
Youth and beauty are things
we thirst for up here in the wilderness.
How are things at the factory,
Nordenson?
Ask my manager.
Damned awful.
At first the men all assembled
in the harbor warehouse,
and I went there
to threaten them with the police.
Then the bastards broke into
a building due for demolition,
and were chased off by the guards.
What's going on?
Reverend,
one can only regret
that young priests are not given
any kind of political education
before they are let loose
on the market.
- Don't you agree?
- Yes.
If you were a little more aware
of the political situation of the day, Pastor,
you would know that we have not had
a week's peace since the general strike.
We have a new generation
of loudmouths and agitators,
criminal elements pushing their way
between us and the workers.
They live off class hatred
and lying propaganda.
And we who are sitting here
at this table are the losers.
It'll be our heads which will roll.
Now my husband is being
far too macabre.
I suggest we stop this pointless conversation
and leave the table.
There's something
I'd like to ask you, Pastor.
Are you going to take pupils?
I mean, confirmation classes?
- I presume so.
- Good.
I passionately want my children
to be confirmed.
That is my only yearning.
That should be no problem.
It's a very great problem, Pastor.
The children's father does not want them
confirmed under any circumstances.
He gets furious
if I even bring up the subject.
His rage is unreasonable
and I don't understand it.
How strange.
A great deal has become strange
over the years.
Now we must join the others.
They may begin to wonder,
and that would not be a good thing.
- It's lovely here.
- Yes.
Well,
all this will be renovated.
I've suggested water
is to be brought in.
The chimney will also have
to be rebuilt and the stove replaced.
The kitchen will no doubt be
to your satisfaction, Miss kerblom.
I can guarantee that.
The upper floor is in fairly good shape,
if I may say so myself.
It just needs papering and painting.
The stairs are not to be trusted.
The bedroom is perhaps not all that large,
but there's a little washroom there,
and the view
over the river is beautiful.
Naturally, the study
and the nursery can be exchanged.
And where is my room?
I'd very much like to know
where I am to be.
As I will have just as heavy a burden
as my husband, and unpaid too.
Where am I to go
when I want to write a letter and read
and do the household accounts?
It's not all that usual
for the pastor's wife
to have a room of her own.
Oh, well,
I couldn't be expected to know that.
Wouldn't the guest room do?
You could use the guest room as a study,
couldn't you, Miss kerblom?
No, I suggest Henrik has
the guest room as his study.
I want to be near the nursery.
That would be rather disturbing
with everyone going in
and out down here.
The pastor can't be disturbed
when he is preparing his sermon.
Then he'll have
to put cotton wool in his ears.
Must this be decided here and now?
Mr. Jakobsson and I will go
and look at the outhouses.
Yes, yes.
Lead the way.
I was only joking, Henrik.
Smile for me, Henrik.
It's not a catastrophe.
We're going to have a lovely home.
Come on, laugh,
or I'll think you're angry.
I wanted us to be alone
when we saw our church for the first time.
To think that this was
originally a greenhouse.
The organ will need some repairs too.
Anna,
I want us to
What do you want?
When we get married,
can't we let old Gransj officiate?
Yes, of course.
If you like.
Here.
Here?
I don't understand what you mean.
Do you mean our wedding
should take place here?
Just you and me, old Gransj
and two witnesses. Can't we do that?
But we're getting married
in Uppsala Cathedral.
We're going to have a real wedding
with bridesmaids and ushers
and the Academic Choir,
and lots of family and friends.
We've already agreed on that, Henrik.
That can't be changed.
- Can't be changed!
- We agreed on all that.
Yes, you agreed.
But it was you who wanted
to have the Academic Choir singing.
You and Ernst decided on the whole program.
You can't have forgotten that?
What if I suggest we abandon all that?
Is that so impossible?
Yes, it is.
Why is it so impossible?
Because I want to have a real wedding!
I want it to be splendid
and impressive.
I want to celebrate. I want to be joyful.
I want an unforgettable wedding.
- And the wedding I'm suggesting?
- Let's stop this silly argument now.
Otherwise we'll start quarreling.
And that wouldn't be nice.
- I'm not quarreling.
- No, but I am.
- You might think it over, Anna.
- But I have thought it over.
We've already decided.
You said we should have a wedding
that was as great as our happiness.
You should have objected then,
but perhaps you were too cowardly.
Henrik, stop all this nonsense now.
But we're going to live here.
Don't you see?
It's important we start our new life here,
in this church.
Important to you but not to me.
Don't you understand at all
what I mean?
I don't want to understand.
If you loved me,
you'd understand.
Don't give me that nonsense.
I might just as well say
that if you loved me,
you would let me have my celebration.
There's no limit
to how spoilt you are.
Don't you understand that I'm serious?
I'll tell you exactly what I understand.
You don't like my family.
You want to humiliate my mother
as much as you can.
You want to have your revenge
in a hurtful and sophisticated way.
Admit it, Henrik!
Amazing how you misinterpret things.
Malicious and amazing.
It's quite clear to me that
you're on your family's side, against me.
You're completely insane!
I nearly killed my mother
in order to be with you.
I'm only asking a silly
little sacrifice of you.
Sometimes, Henrik, you seem
to me to be painfully lower class.
You make yourself out
to be worse than you are.
You put on an act
that doesn't suit you at all.
You flaunt your poverty,
your wretched childhood
and your poor wretched mother.
I remember when I told you
Frida was a waitress.
I remember your tone of voice.
I remember your face.
It isn't necessary to wear dirty shirts
and have holes in your socks.
It isn't necessary to have dandruff
on your collar and dirty nails.
You aren't always clean
and sometimes you smell of sweat.
- You've gone too far.
- Typical! The pastor can't stand the truth.
I can't stand you being cruel.
Good.
Just as well this conversation
occurred before our wedding.
Yes, now we know
where we stand.
We almost made a huge mistake.
Oh, God forgive me.
Henrik
Henrik, forgive me.
I've said terrible things.
Listen.
Can you forgive me?
Henrik.
You must forgive me.
Henrik?
Get out of here.
I never want to see you again.
Get out.
You're vile.
Get out, for Christ's sake!
You're mad.
Now I begin to understand
why Mama was afraid of you.
That's really good.
You two will fall into each other's arms
and thank God you've escaped
with nothing but horror
and the loss of your virginity.
God, how crude you are.
God, you're a liar!
The worst kind,
because you never know when you're lying.
I think you should go and find
that waitress, Frida Strandberg.
- She would make an excellent pastor's wife.
- Shut up!
Good.
I'm beginning
to recognize my life now.
It's coming back at last.
I was dreaming.
Now I'm awake.
Here I am, in a decaying
palm house in the wilderness.
Me!
This is mad.
This is complete madness.
And we were to have children.
Three children,
that's what we planned.
How can we go on living after this?
I don't know.
We had a certain amount of love.
And now we've squandered that
on a trifle.
That's true.
I don't care about the wedding.
It can be anywhere.
I can't be bothered with all that now.
I don't care.
We won't get married.
I can be your housekeeper.
Henrik?
I'm so tired, Anna.
Oh, so am I.
How shall we get away from here?
Come and sit here beside me.
Come.
Come.
So you're not going to hit me?
You're icy.
Are you cold?
Do you think we'll be
any wiser after this?
Yes, more careful, perhaps.
More careful
with what we've been given?
I, Henrik Bergman,
take thee, Anna kerblom.
I, Henrik Bergman,
take thee, Anna kerblom.
To my wedded wife.
To my wedded wife.
To love and cherish,
for better and for worse.
To love and cherish,
for better and for worse.
To have and to hold.
To have and to hold.
With this ring I thee wed.
With this ring I thee wed.
I, Anna kerblom,
take thee, Henrik Bergman.
I, Anna kerblom,
take thee, Henrik Bergman.
To my wedded husband.
To my wedded husband.
To love and cherish,
for better and for worse.
To love and cherish,
for better and for worse.
What a party.
May I be alone with my daughter
for a moment?
What a wonderful wedding,
Mrs. kerblom.
Thank you.
Mama, there's something
I must tell you.
Yes?
Henrik and I have put off
our honeymoon.
Have you?
Then what are your plans now,
if I may ask?
Does that make you sad, Mama?
My dear child, honeymoons are
supposed to be a pleasure.
Henrik and I can go to Italy
some other year. Can't we?
We can still make the trip.
Naturally.
What will you do instead?
We're going straight up north.
Tomorrow?
Henrik is keen to get started
a bit earlier than he intended.
And I want to be with him from the beginning.
It's important for both of us.
I understand perfectly.
I have to give way a little too.
Henrik's given way
on so many points.
- Has he?
- Yes, but let's not talk about it now.
You might try to like Henrik,
for my sake.
Just a little.
The past is forgotten.
I wish it were.
That's it, once again now.
You must stay in bed
until your temperature goes down, Mrs. Almer.
Here's some medicine for you.
Take these.
Two pills twice a day.
And then Jesus said,
"What food is there?"
"But we have only five loaves
and two fish."
So Jesus took the loaves
and the fish and he blessed them.
Can you talk a little today?
Oh, yes!
Hello there!
And Jesus looked
further into what is good
in the nature of man
rather than what is evil.
His heart was filled with an ever-increasing
compassion for his people.
"His studies were going very badly.
But it could certainly not be said
he was a boy with no talents.
On the contrary, he was much more gifted
than all the other boys.
The teacher tried to hold up
to him as a model."
I'll ask my wife
to telephone the doctor.
Will that be necessary?
The boy's only got a bit of a cold.
He's had it for a long time.
He'll be all right.
- Good-bye then.
- Good-bye.
This is the end now!
I'm sick of your damn drinking
and all the trouble you cause!
They can't do this to you, Arvid!
Show them you're a man!
You can't stay here any longer.
Tomorrow you're out of here.
They're taking everything away from us!
- I've warned you several times
- Tell him, Arvid!
You've always got something to say!
Let's all get back to work now.
Arvid's been fired for what he said
at Monday's meeting, the manifesto
Come on now,
or there'll just be more trouble.
We aren't solving anything
standing around here staring.
No, we must meet somewhere
and go through all this properly.
The question is,
where can we meet?
If we use any of the Works
they'll just chuck us out.
You could use the chapel.
It's heated and it holds 150 people.
Well, shall we accept
the pastor's offer?
We might as well, as long
as he hasn't changed his mind.
No, I haven't.
Shall we say Sunday at 4:00?
I wish to speak to Pastor Bergman.
Immediately.
Perhaps you would be so kind
as to wait a few minutes, Mr. Nordenson.
I'll soon be finished.
Good morning.
Good morning.
I've not come to see you, brother.
I wish to speak to your adjutant.
That should be all right.
No, he's pretending to be busy.
Come on over, Henrik.
The clerk can see to that.
Mr. Nordenson wishes to speak to you.
You can go into my room if you like.
I'm just going for my breakfast.
Sit yourselves in here.
You'll be quite undisturbed.
I've never known such weather
at this time of year.
- Like hell let loose!
- You wished to speak to me?
Yes, more or less on impulse,
I was passing the parish office
and thought I'd look in
and have a chat with young Bergman.
I heard you'd abolished homework
for the confirmation classes.
More or less, yes.
Are you allowed to do that?
There aren't any specific directives
for how the teaching is to be carried out.
It is merely stated that
confirmands shall be prepared
for communion in the appropriate manner.
And you're preparing my daughters,
Pastor?
When the girls have gone to bed,
my wife enters their bedroom
and closes the door.
Then they kneel and say an evening prayer
you have taught them.
They don't use my words.
They are St. Augustine's.
I don't care whose words they are.
My concern is that I'm left out.
You could join in, Mr. Nordenson.
Impossible. Nordenson on his knees
with his womenfolk.
- You could try.
- No, I couldn't.
I think Susanna and Helena
would understand your difficulties.
Just as their mother does.
So you've talked to my wife
about me, have you?
Your wife came to see me
and asked for a private talk.
Did she now?
Elin came to see you.
What was the conversation about,
if I may ask?
You may ask,
but I am prevented from answering.
Sorry, Pastor.
I forgot about your oath of silence.
I'm sorry I even mentioned
that conversation.
That's all right, Pastor.
Don't worry.
A slip of the tongue.
That's only human.
By the way, how did Sunday's
meeting in the chapel go?
I presume you sent
your own reporters.
- Has Gransj said anything?
- He certainly has.
- May I ask what?
- He was most specific.
He said if I ever again thought
of lending the church
for socialist and revolutionary meetings,
he'd report me
to the cathedral chapter.
Did he indeed, the old goat.
Unfortunately,
the meeting was pointless.
Arvid Fredin was dismissed after all.
I should have spoken up,
but I didn't.
Was it perhaps that
your dear wife disapproved
of your sudden decision
to lend the chapel?
More or less, yes.
You see?
Pastor, what would you say
to some kind...
of cooperation?
- Cooperation with whom?
- With me.
Next time there's trouble,
you get up in the pulpit,
or on the soapbox or a machine,
and speak to the masses.
And what should I say?
Well, you could say,
for instance,
what matters most now is
to stop trying to kill each other.
People here at the Works are
badly treated and humiliated.
Should I advise them
to be badly treated and humiliated?
I think we should end
this conversation.
I have plenty of time.
It hasn't been particularly rewarding.
No. I've mostly been afraid.
Really?
Some people frighten me.
Has it ever occurred to you,
Pastor,
that I might be equally frightened?
But in another way.
No.
No.
Forgive me for coming
so early in the morning, Anna.
Come in.
Come in and sit down.
How's your hand?
The doctor's very pleased
with what you'd done.
- What's your name?
- He's Petrus, my sister's son.
Her husband left her
and she can't bear to be alone with him,
so he lives with us now.
Will you go to school here?
When do you start?
In the autumn.
Do you think it'll be fun?
I don't know.
I haven't been yet.
Can you read or write?
And do sums.
I know my multiplication tables.
Do you, now?
- Who taught you?
- I learnt them by myself.
And no one helped you?
No.
Do you have any friends?
Perhaps you like
being by yourself.
I think I do.
And what do you read?
Have you any books?
We have some old Christmas magazines.
He mostly reads an encyclopaedia,
though we've only got one volume,
from J to K.
I think I've got some books
Petrus would like.
Read this, Petrus.
When you've finished it,
I have some more that are just as good.
We'll just put a cover on it, like at school,
so it won't get dirty.
You must say thank you properly.
Thank you.
I've never known such peculiar weather.
Thunder in February.
It's like the Last Judgment.
What's that noise downstairs?
Nothing.
You're imagining things.
Can't you hear
someone knocking on the door?
- Who would that be? A ghost?
- Shush!
Here's a little hot milk.
Drink it up.
Why have you come here, Petrus?
Your parents have come
to fetch you.
They're not my parents.
They're instead of your parents.
Things couldn't be better for you.
No.
Are you coming then?
But I don't want to.
That's not for you to decide.
No.
Well, then.
Come on.
- Petrus.
- Let him go.
That's not the way to do it.
I think Petrus should be allowed
to stay for a while.
He must have time to calm down
and think things over.
Yes, he's welcome
to stay a few days.
Hello, sis.
Let me look at you.
You've grown a beard!
Yes.
Take my shawl. It was twenty below
this morning, and getting colder.
It'll be at least thirty below tonight.
There, now you look fine.
You're always fine.
You're the finest in the world,
and I've missed you terribly.
You can't imagine.
Just because things are
so good for me.
When you're as happy as this,
you become insatiable.
Welcome, Ernst.
Let me look at you.
God, how you've filled out!
- You look like a pirate.
- So you say.
Like this, I'm happy.
- How was Mama?
- Fine.
- She sends her love.
- Thanks.
She was a bit sad you couldn't
come back for Christmas.
Henrik thought it'd be a betrayal
of the women of the parish if I went home.
Why didn't you invite her here then?
You know perfectly well
what Henrik's like.
Can't he forgive and forget?
How are things, Anna?
Can't you stay for a few days?
I have to go home tomorrow.
I almost forgot.
The most important thing of all,
your Christmas present.
But
What is it?
From Ernst to Anna.
A gramophone.
Oh, how marvelous!
It's the one-step.
The absolutely latest
dance craze in New York.
One-step?
They're dancing it everywhere.
So, may I have the honor?
- No, I can't.
- Yes, you can.
- No.
- I'll teach you. Come on.
- Like this?
- Yes.
- Henrik, come on!
- Come on, Henrik.
Come on, let's dance!
Come on!
Henrik, come on!
Let's dance.
- Now you and I'll
- No, not me.
Yes, it's fun.
Honestly, come on.
It's more fun for me and Dag
to watch you two.
Let's all dance!
We'll all dance.
You and I, Ernst and Dag.
Come on.
No, leave me alone, Anna.
I'd only be embarrassed.
Embarrassed? Come on,
let's all three of us dance.
You're a good dancer.
Remember our wedding?
- Do it like this.
- That was a waltz.
All right, let's waltz to a one-step.
Arm up, now.
Off with your cassock now, Pastor!
Henrik!
Henrik's not the only one
to disapprove of the one-step.
I'm the one who's an idiot.
I have a tendency
to be jealous.
We were only having a little game.
I'm a great spoiler of games.
That can't be helped.
Scrub here.
Hello!
- Hello.
- Good morning.
I do apologize.
I've something very important to tell you.
Yes, it concerns you
just as much.
I'd like to talk to you
and Henrik at once.
It won't take long.
Nothing unpleasant.
On the contrary.
Henrik's fishing down by the river.
Petrus, run on down and tell him
to come here at once.
I see Petrus is still living with you.
- Is he any trouble?
- I don't know what to say.
He refuses to go back home
and he likes it here.
He's a good boy,
obedient and attentive.
I suppose the problem
will have to be solved eventually.
Yes, if only we knew how.
- Good day, sir.
- Good day to you.
Where on earth did you find
that old sweater?
I thought I'd really and truly hidden it.
- Haven't you offered the reverend anything?
- No, nothing for me, thanks.
I have had a letter
from my very good friend
Pastor Primarius Anders Alopus,
the senior court chaplain
in the parish of the court.
And it concerns us?
Allow me to read some
of it aloud to you.
Let's start here.
"As you know, the Sophiahemmet
was created by Queen Sophia.
She took a lively interest
in Swedish health care
and wished to build a model hospital
to the highest European standards.
Her Majesty,
that is Queen Victoria,
has decided to create
a permanent part-time post."
Yes, well.
Now here's the important bit.
"At a meeting of the board,
Her Majesty was particularly concerned
about the proposed chaplaincy
and emphasized how important
it would be to find the right man.
The archbishop at once exclaimed,
'I think I have our man!'
On closer questioning,
the archbishop named a young priest
by the name of Henrik Bergman."
Good gracious.
It can't be true.
- I don't know what to say.
- You don't have to say anything.
I think you should think about it
and talk it over with Mrs. Anna.
- When do we have to decide?
- As soon as possible.
In other words, this means
you'll shortly put on your best clothes,
go to Stockholm
and take tea at the palace.
There's a postscript too,
here in pencil.
"It is particularly emphasized
that Her Majesty wishes
to receive both the pastor
and his young wife."
Now I'll leave you two young people...
in a state of what I hope
is more joy than confusion.
Thank you very much for coming.
Thank you, thank you.
Are you going to leave?
No, we're just talking, Petrus.
I thought you said
you were going to leave.
Then you weren't listening properly.
So you're not leaving then?
Don't be silly, Petrus.
I thought it sounded
as if you were going to leave.
Her Majesty is addressed
as "Your Majesty,"
should that be necessary.
Direct address should be avoided.
Her Majesty asks questions
and guides the conversation.
It is inappropriate
to make your own digressions.
The audience will be quite short.
Her Majesty is not well and very tired.
This way.
Her Majesty comes through that door.
The court chaplain will come after her.
Her Majesty will greet
the pastor's wife first,
and you will curtsy as deeply
and elegantly as you can.
Then Her Majesty will greet the pastor.
Any questions?
No questions.
How do you do.
How nice that we could meet.
It was good of you
to come such a long way.
Shall we sit down?
I hope you would like some tea.
You had a good journey?
Very good, thank you.
It's so simple by train.
You don't have to change.
And your little son, Dag?
Yes, thank you, he's very well.
Everything changes so quickly
at that age.
We are entertaining
great hopes of you.
We are still rather overwhelmed.
All this has happened so quickly.
Where is the envelope?
This is a pencil drawing
of the proposed house.
Oh, so grand.
Three large rooms
and a well-equipped kitchen
on the ground floor.
Four rooms upstairs.
We thought the nursery
in the corner room.
It gets sun all day.
It's all overwhelming.
I realize it will be difficult
to leave your Forsboda.
Yes, that will be difficult.
At first we were rather uncertain.
We seemed to be running away
from our task.
Our life's task.
Perhaps I wasn't quite so afraid
as Henrik was.
My concern was
of leaving those in need.
The need can be just as great
in a hospital, Pastor Bergman.
I know. I know.
Tell me one thing, Pastor.
Do you think our suffering
is sent to us by God?
- I can only say what I myself believe.
- That is why I asked.
No, I don't believe suffering
is sent by God.
I think God looks down
on his creation with grief and horror.
- No, suffering does not come from God.
- But suffering is said to purify us.
I have never known suffering
to be any help.
But I have seen
how suffering can destroy and deform.
Countess, would you be good
enough to give me my shawl?
I am terribly tired today.
You must excuse me, my dears.
Thank you for your honesty.
Make sure that your husband comes
to his new parsonage.
I'm not moving to Stockholm!
I'll have nothing to do with them!
- Henrik, what's the matter?
- I've been an idiot.
An idiot in all directions.
I can see it all now.
Thank God for that Alopus,
for that distinguished lady!
- Stop!
- "Does suffering come from God?"
The grandeur of freedom
and the triumph of silliness!
Did you hear me flattering
and drivelling?
- I must have been mad.
- Stop, Henrik!
I can't think what got into me.
I need to wash my mouth out.
That's the end of all these idiocies.
- We're going back home to Forsboda.
- Stop, I say.
- I say no, no, no.
- Stop, I say!
If you could only hear yourself.
"I, I, I"
What kind of nonsense is that?
"I say no." That's just rubbish.
Yes, rubbish.
There are actually two of us,
but perhaps you've forgotten
with all your grandiose opinions.
My name is Anna,
and I am your wife.
I am one of us
and I have the right to say what I think.
And I think you're behaving
like a hysterical prima donna.
And just what is it
that you're deciding on?
How dare you decide
about things that are vital, Henrik?
Vital!
I'm crying now because
you trample on me, because it hurts!
You're trampling
on your most faithful friend.
And I'm crying
because it makes me angry.
Oh, forgive me.
Petrus.
In this beauteous summertime
Go out my soul
and find thy joy
In greatest gifts of God
See how in adornment
Welcome.
I'm sorry to disturb you,
but I've come to fetch my daughters.
That's very thoughtful of you,
Mr. Nordenson,
but Susanna and Helena
will be occupied for another hour.
- We'd thought of having
- I've come to fetch my daughters.
My daughters, Susanna and Helena.
I realize you intend to fetch
your daughters, Mr. Nordenson.
Unfortunately, that is not possible
for another hour.
Susanna and Helena are busy
with other things.
Oh, are they now?
Busy with other things?
Susanna and Helena are busy.
So they won't be ready
to be fetched for another hour.
Susanna, come here.
Helena, come here.
Come on, girls.
I can't wait all day.
I suggest we go out into the churchyard
and settle this problem.
There must be some kind
of misunderstanding.
I can assure you there is
no misunderstanding, Pastor.
Regardless of the time of day
or the locality,
it is Susanna's and Helena's
imperative duty to obey their father.
And if they don't?
Stop playing this game now,
Pastor Bergman.
I am asking you politely
to tell my daughters
to go with their father.
And if I asked you
to leave my church?
- Then I will use force.
- Force?
- Against whom?
- Against anyone.
You're intoxicated.
So are you, Pastor Bergman.
But in a much more dangerous way.
You are drunk with your power
over my daughters.
You're deliberately humiliating me
in front of my children.
Susanna and Helena,
go to your father.
Your order came exactly thirty seconds
too late, Pastor Bergman.
Fifteen seconds ago,
I decided to stop their participation
in your blood rituals.
You can't do this.
What can't I do?
Can't I stop my children being
exposed to emotional rape?
A vile idiotic game?
A stinking orgy of blood and tears?
What is it I may not do, Pastor?
You're despicable.
You are vengeful,
jealous and repulsive.
Stop it now, Henrik.
It is interesting to hear
a priest denigrating a father
in front of his children
in the presence of witnesses.
Can anyone tell me why
we've become so few recently?
And why no one comes to church
and our sewing bee meetings anymore?
Can anyone give me an explanation?
Then I'll ask directly.
What do you think, Mrs. Tallrot?
Well, I think people are a little afraid.
- Afraid?
- I don't know, but that's what I think.
- But why should anyone be afraid?
- Everyone knows that.
I don't.
Down at the office there's a list
of all the people belonging
to the sewing bee.
I don't understand.
Would Nordenson
The manager asked my Adolf
if I still went to that woman
the pastor's woman's Thursday meetings.
This just isn't possible.
They all remember when Nordenson
came to the confirmation class
in the chapel last midsummer.
Helena, his elder daughter,
has told me several times
that her father
can never forgive that,
that humiliation in front of them all.
Magna, did you know about this,
and didn't tell us?
I think there's a better explanation.
A better explanation?
What do you mean?
We can talk about it another time.
Why not now?
She needn't worry on my behalf.
I'm already as angry as I can get.
Magna,
please tell us all you know.
There's a rumor
that Henrik and Anna...
went to see Queen Victoria
at the palace in June,
and that Henrik was going
to be court chaplain.
Then everyone started talking...
and some people were unhappy about it.
And some probably thought
Henrik was dishonest
for not saying that
he was thinking of leaving us.
But, Magna,
we turned it down.
Yes, Henrik was invited
to be priest at a large hospital
where the queen
was chairman of the board.
We were tempted,
but that's nothing strange.
But Henrik turned it down.
Henrik said no to the offer.
Oh, yes.
Now you know everything.
There wasn't much to tell.
That depends on how you look at it.
Nothing has changed.
We're staying here.
We've decided.
As some kind of sacrifice?
- We want to be here.
- Well, that's nice of you.
- I don't understand why you're so angry.
- I'm not angry.
I'm sad.
- I don't understand why you're sad.
- No, of course you don't.
I'd have accepted the offer
and been out of here as soon as possible.
We thought we could be of some use.
What use?
What could a nice little pastor
and his pretty wife
do so far away up here,
in this wretched place?
Why do you come here every Thursday?
Well, I like the pastor
and his wife.
I liked listening to him reading
aloud out of those novels.
I wanted to sit here for a few hours
with the other women.
I thought it was wonderful.
- Good-bye then.
- Good-bye.
Good-bye,
and thank you for everything.
Thank you for the information.
Anna and I are extremely grateful.
- Good-bye then.
- Good-bye.
Anna, now I know for certain.
Now it's even more important
not to let these people down.
- Are you coming?
- Yes, soon.
- Is something the matter?
- No. Why?
Then I'll go to bed.
I'm coming soon.
- Henrik.
- Yes?
We must send Petrus away.
The sooner the better.
- Let's deal with that in the morning, my dear.
- No, now.
Why all this hurry over Petrus,
the poor little devil?
I never promised
he could stay here forever.
I never promised
to be his substitute mother.
You must speak to Mrs. Johansson.
Of course.
I'll speak to Mrs. Johansson.
Things are hard enough.
I can't take responsibility for an extra child.
- Don't be so angry, Anna.
- I'm not angry.
I've tried to like him,
but I can't.
I'll speak to Mrs. Johansson.
I promise.
Yes, at once, tomorrow.
I promise.
- Remember I'm expecting.
- Yes, of course.
When Petrus looks at me
with dog-like eyes, I get angry.
And then I get angry with myself
for being antagonistic to a child.
It's been quite an evening.
I have to be up at six.
Do you understand what I mean?
- Yes, I understand what you mean.
- Then we'd better get some sleep.
Good night.
Good night, angry one.
Good night.
We'll stop heating the big room
and the nursery.
We'll just heat the kitchen,
the bedroom and your room, Mejan.
- Do you think Dag has a temperature?
- He's coughing a lot.
We must make sure
he drinks a lot and keeps warm.
You're a nurse, ma'am,
so you should know.
Where are you off to?
To the post office.
The pastor's expecting the paper.
Are you going out with that cold?
I'll take the kick-sled.
They've plowed the road.
All right.
I'll go up and make the beds.
We'll eat in an hour.
You'll be back by then?
Sure to be.
Petrus, sit down and read to Dag
while I go up and make the beds.
Come in and shut the door.
You're letting the heat out.
I can't sit down there writing my sermon,
knowing I'm going to send Petrus away.
- You do as you like.
- But shouldn't we decide this together?
Yes, we'll decide together
what you want to do.
We have to think about your sermon.
That's important.
Petrus is a fellow human being.
Well?
- Nothing.
- Anna, don't be so difficult.
I'm also a fellow human being,
although I happen to be your wife.
- Anna.
- Yes, my dear.
Go on down and write your sermon.
We'll let the matter rest for the moment.
Is that all right?
Mama!
Mama!
No, Dag
Petrus!
- Petrus!
- Mama!
Petrus, stop!
Stop!
- Good morning, Mrs. Johansson.
- Good morning, Mrs. Bergman.
I'm sorry it's such a mess in here.
Both the girls are ill.
It's the same everywhere.
Well,
I think Petrus's things are all here.
As he likes reading,
I've put some books in as well.
I hope you realize that
under the present circumstances
No, no, of course.
Good-bye then, Petrus.
I suppose we'd better be going.
Thank you for being so patient
and taking such good care of him.
It's a pity it should end like this.
Anyhow, you and the pastor
couldn't look after him forever.
It was best that way.
We couldn't possibly keep him here.
I think he understood.
He didn't even cry.
Why don't you answer?
Anna, we can't go on like this.
You've no reason
to behave like this.
It's as if it was all my fault.
Stop washing and turn around!
Speak to me!
You're bleeding.
You cut yourself on the plate.
I don't give a damn.
Come on, there's no point
in the girls hearing us.
- You must talk to me.
- There's no point.
Anything, Anna.
Anything is better
than saying nothing.
And you say
that I have a responsibility.
I have a responsibility for Dag
and the child to come.
My responsibility tells me
that I must leave here.
My responsibility to the children
is more important than my loyalty to you.
I don't understand.
I must go away
and take Dag with me.
You want to stay,
as that is your conviction.
- Where are you intending to go?
- Home.
Your home is here.
You can't hurt me this much.
I've already written to Mama.
What a triumph for her.
So that's your first thought.
I forbid you to go.
You forbid nothing, Henrik.
How long are you going
to be away?
When you've come to your senses,
we can talk about the future.
What future?
I have spoken to Gransj,
or rather, he has spoken to me.
He pointed out that
the offer in Stockholm still stands.
So you've gone behind my back?
Yes, you could say that.
I'll never forgive you for this.
Well, so now we know.
I'm going to finish the dishes.
Get the hell out of here.
I never want to see you again.
You're insane!
I knew it'd be like this.
I knew
you would leave me.
Isn't it terrible?
I'm going mad!
Are there any good children here?
Or only bored old women
and runaway wives?
No, all right, I'll be serious.
I'll take that back.
Is there a good little boy here?
Yes, there is.
Well, then!
Well, now, I've earned a drink.
Children in a ring
Dancing in a ring
The tree so very grand and green
The tree so very grand and green
Thank you
for a lovely Christmas Eve, Mama.
I thought it was quite deplorable.
Dag was pleased anyhow.
I was also terribly pleased,
Mammchen.
Thank you, Carl dear.
It's kind of you to say so.
I'm not particularly sentimental,
but I felt quite like crying,
several times.
Then I said to myself,
you're mad, Karin kerblom.
What are you complaining about?
One must be brave.
I had a letter
from Henrik this morning.
I didn't like to ask.
- He says all is well.
- That's good.
- He sends his regards.
- Thank you.
Return them when you write.
I warned him. Just watch out like hell
for the kerblom family.
He's preaching in the big church
at the early service.
They've closed the chapel.
Then things really are
quite all right for him.
Yes, that's what it sounds like.
He's sent Mia and Mejan
back home for the holidays.
What's he doing about meals?
He's often invited
to dinner at Gransj's.
I'm glad things are all right for him.
Anna.
I hear Anna has gone to Uppsala.
Yes, that's right.
The boy too?
Anna's mother will at last
see her grandson.
Henrik, do you know at all
when Anna's coming back?
No.
What has happened?
Forgive me, but I'm not prepared
to make any kind of confession.
- May I go now?
- Of course.
I have no desire to be unfriendly,
and I am grateful for
I just wish to point out
that the offer
in Stockholm still stands.
That's out of the question.
I know where I belong.
And your wife?
She has also decided.
Go now, Pastor,
and make yourself useful.
- Are you going already?
- Yes, I must get down to the Works.
- How are things?
- Fine. Excellent.
When's Anna coming back?
I don't know exactly.
We want our wages!
You can't just shut it down like this!
- Open the Works!
- We want our jobs!
We want our wages!
There's no point
in you staying here.
A special delegation from the
employment commission is on its way,
and they're discussing the possibility
of starting up the Works again
in the New Year.
The Works has outstanding orders,
and the creditors are meeting now,
planning to continue production.
You should all go home
and wait until you hear something.
No!
Come on, break it up!
We haven't had any wages
for three weeks!
We want work,
not promises!
I don't know.
He had his difficulties.
He hasn't said much recently.
My husband didn't want to worry me.
I don't know anything.
This is his farewell letter.
Would you like
to hear what he says?
"In recent years, almost every evening
I have gone into my room,
locked the door and put the barrel
of my gun into my mouth.
I can't say
I was particularly desperate.
I just had a desire
to train my will for the inevitable.
It will be a great relief
to go into ultimate,
and as I imagine it,
absolute loneliness.
I have no reason
to apologize for my death,
although it will cause
some practical and hygienic problems.
Nor have I any reason
to apologize for my life.
I am drunk now,
sufficiently drunk,
so I will finish."
- Do you wish to say a prayer?
- I don't think so.
- Don't you think
- I don't think Mr. Nordenson
would want me saying prayers.
Then I must thank you, Pastor,
for taking all this trouble.
Come in.
My toes are frozen stiff.
So,
you've moved
into the kitchen, Henrik?
I see you are
preparing your sermon so
I realize I'm disturbing you.
I shan't stay long.
I shall just sit down for a few minutes
to get my breath back.
How are things?
Fine. Excellent.
You sound so angry, Henrik.
Things are all right, I said.
I'm fine.
It was only a polite inquiry.
Magda, you keep coming here
every other day with your compassion.
I'm sorry, but I can't live up
to your expectations.
Henrik, please.
I'll tell you something, Magda.
I'm the loner kind.
In fact...
I always have been.
The time with Anna
and my son simply confused me.
It was like a special happiness
intended just for me,
which had been waiting round the corner
for all these years.
Anna made me believe in it.
Anna and Dag.
Do you understand?
Henrik,
I had a little talk with Gransj.
Well, we thought you should
move down to us
and have the wing of the house.
Wait a minute, Henrik.
Let me finish.
You'd have your own living room
and kitchen,
or you could have your meals with us,
if you want to.
I think the church council would
also be pleased.
Then they could in good conscience
close down the chapel for good.
Magda, it's kind of you
to think about me...
but I'm best off living
on the extreme edge of the world.
Then I'll achieve the hardness,
the sharpness.
I can find only banal words
for something important.
Every day I have
to make myself confront myself.
I have to live in privation.
Only then can I possibly
become a good priest.
I am not created
for larger contexts.
This life suits me.
Do you understand?
You sound very convincing.
I'll go now.
Come on, Dag. We're going out now.
What a lovely day.
Can I have an ice cream?
Supposing we all get together
at our summer place.
Dag really needs to get out
into the country. He really does.
He's never even been there.
Mama, can Granny and I go
and pick flowers now?
Why have you come?
Just an impulse.
I heard there was a night train.
Why have you come?
I just want to say that...
I think of you and the boy a lot.
I'm never coming back.
I know.
- No matter what you say.
- I know.
I've been filled with such terrible anguish.
I felt like a traitor.
But it's better now.
Don't come and tear it all open again.
I couldn't take it.
You'll never have to go back, Anna.
I promise.
I've written to Alopus
and accepted the position.
We're moving to Stockholm
in the autumn.
But will we be able
to forgive each other?
So you don't want us to go on?
You know I do.
I want nothing else.
That is all I want.