Rich man, poor man… Bodakungen (1920)

The Tyranny of Hate is the English title for this film and that says much more about the theme of this film than the Swedish which means Boda King, referring to the dominant local landowner played by the larger than life Egil Eide.

Set in the early 1800s the film was typical of the rural dramas popular in Sweden at the time and could easily have been drawn from a Selma Lagerlöf novel as were so many of the films of Mauritz Stiller and Victor Sjöström in the silent era. Here Gustaf Molander, previously scriptwriter for Stiller on the Thomas Graal films and uncredited contributor to Sjöström’s A Man There Was, both wrote and directed. It was Molander’s first film as a director and he went on to enjoy a long career up to the sixties and including Ingmarsarvet (1925) itself based on a Selma Lagerlöf story and starring leading Euro-hunks Lars Hanson and Conrad Veidt as well as Sweden’s finest actress/ballerina, the legendary Jenny Hasselqvist.

Egil Eide looks down on August Palme & Wanda Rothgardt 

Bodakungen tells of the feud between two farmers one from Ödemo (Storden in the English titles) and the other from Rävgården (Hogarden). Sören Torbjörnsson, the "Bodakungen"/Boda King, is the most successful with a large farm and many hands whilst his family rival, Mårten (August Palme) is failing with just his young daughter, Gunnel (Wanda Rothgardt) to help him. Ten years ago his son Hans, was sent away to school and he has failed to compete without him to the point at which the Boda King is close to having him evicted, “this would never have happened had he stayed…”

Torbjörnsson is a boorish bully, revelling in his own success and intent on taking out the hated competition, ruling “with an iron hand and a cold heart.” The only thing that gives him pause is his daughter, Eli (Winifred Westover) of whom he is almost frightened of letting her down. His wife (Hilda Castegren) he is less concerned by and treats her little better than his employees and, like them she does whatever he wants her too.

Torbjörnsson buys Mårten’s debt from a debtor at twice the value just so that he can use it to turn him out lock, stock and barrel – have a mentioned what a git he is? In fairness both men cling onto their family hatreds but only one is going to win at this rate. This exchange takes place at the Boda Fair a lavish recreation of the fun of a rural fair with acrobats and a cheating weightlifter who gets roundly chastised for using fake weights after a dog picks them up and walks away…

It's good to be King, or is it?

After the fair, the two old men clash with Torbjörnsson beating his frail rival and then heading home to enjoy a feast and to bully all around him with his only shame being in response to Eli’s sad look at his behaviour. If only she were with him all the time he says, he is missing her judgement as much as her respect but he can’t control himself and the corrupting power he has.

The morning after he’s back in full effect, advising Mårten of the best place to commit suicide after he turfs him out of his ancestral home; “… the Wolfes Rock is steep and the rapids fast.” But Mårten has a warning of his own, saying that his crimes will find him out before trudging off homeless with his daughter.

The following day a “stranger” comes climbing up from the lake and for a second I think it’s Lars Hansen only to remember that it’s Uno Henning… Lars was undoubtedly busy filming Erotikon and nursing his wounds from the previous year’s rustic rough and tumble of A Dangerous Wooing (1919). He spies Eli and there’s an instant connection as he explains how he’s adventured all around the World and now he comes looking for his father… I know, if only he knew who he was talking to!?

Hilda is very impressed with Uno's Hans...

Hans, for it is he, the son of Mårten, though “little blue eyes” Eli little knows it, takes her hand and promises to tell her the name of her intended, who he says will appear to her before the sun goes down on Wolfes Rock. Little does he know it, but this is a dangerous wooing too.

 OK, so this romance is telegraphed in the long tradition of Montagues and Capulets but there’s still an obnoxiously stubborn old git to turn round and redemption to be obtained… and the film is satisfying in the delays it allows as the narrative is placed in ways that is neither melodramatic or mawkish. The “king” could easily allow more of Eli’s kindness into his business plan but he simply doesn’t want to until it is forced on him. This is a tale as true now as it ever was, just imagine if Papa Trump’s Ivanka was a decent person… she might even turn him round.

But a reckoning is coming as Mårten decides to turn back from his exile and spend one last night in his farm. He bids farewell to his daughter and sets fire to the barn only to be rescued by Hans who also intervenes victoriously when Torbjörnsson tries to beat his father. From that point the tables do turn as the locals have had enough of his cruelty and, worse, his daughter’s love for him has gone. This is all very socialistic but there’s only one way back for the greedy landowner and that’s love as it always needs to be.

A domineering dad and a disappointed daughter.

Bodakungen is a very enjoyable tale and Molander’s skills nearly rival the Big Two’s with drama, morality and some gorgeous backdrops captured by cameraman Adrian Bjurman; you really cannot go wrong with Swedish lakes and mountains.

It’s more evidence, if any were required, of the strength in depth of Swedish film at this point and there’s plenty more where this one came from!

Capitalism at work...