The young minister Gösta Berling is defrocked because of his habitual drinking and joins a group of rough war veterans. Margaretha, the wife of a former army major, takes him in at her luxurious estate Ekeby, where he works as a private tutor and charms the women there. Tragic events ensue, driving both Gösta and Margaretha ever deeper into ruin. Mauritz Stiller’s monumental adaptation of Nobel Prize-winner Selma Lagerlöf’s debut novel launched the career of future Hollywood star Greta Garbo. In the role of Countess Elisabeth, she embodies the only woman capable of saving Gösta and winning his heart.
