The Instrument of Destiny

The story of medical student Sonja Smirnow and her family.

At a European seaside resort, Elly von Langen, the beautiful daughter of an officer, meets an elegant Indian maharajah and falls in love with him. She elopes with the maharajah to India. Much to her chagrin, she finds herself installed in his harem there, and even though she is accorded the status of being his favourite wife, she does not have her freedom. One day, Elly eyes an opportunity to escape her captivity. But will the Maharajah ever let her go? Or perhaps it is not the walls of the palace that are holding Elly back? (Stumfilm.dk)

Tatjana is a tale of Russia, the Bolshevik uprising and revolution in a rural setting, entwined with a story of desire and deception. The first intertitle reads, “Fate tires now and then of painting pretty coloured pictures. In such a mood she takes the Blacks and Reds of Human Passion and paints a stark tragedy…” The scene opens on a manservant, drawing back the curtains and discovering his master slumped over at his desk. He is dead. The Chief of Police arrives to interrogate the household and discovers the dead man’s wife purposely sent all the servants out to the theatre the night before… what was the reason for her actions? A letter will explain all as the film delves into the characters’ past through flashback…

Magda, a piano teacher, meets Knud, a parson’s son, who invites her to spend the summer at his parents’ parsonage. When a travelling circus stops in the village, Magda leaves the meek Knud for the dashing circus rider Rudolf. But circus life with Rudolf quickly turns out to be anything but happy, and Magda comes to a tragic end.

Overwhelmed by personal and professional problems, biologist Friedrich von Kammacher decides to travel abroad in order to regain the joy of living. During his adventurous journey he will meet two very different women, one of whom will be the key to his fate.

Alice, the seventeen-year-old daughter of millionaire John Payne, is dying. Doctor Sheldon, deep in grief due to the very recent loss of his wife, reluctantly agrees to help and saves Alice’s life at the very last minute. While he was treating his patient, a fire has broken out in his home, and upon his return the sight of the flames consuming the flower-covered coffin still laid out in the living room takes a heavy toll on his psyche. He is admitted to a mental hospital, where Payne and Alice’s frequent visits help him get back on his feet. But darkness still lurks in a corner of his mind. (Stumfilm.dk)

The man-hungry “vampire,” later to be popularized by America’s Theda Bara, made her screen debut in this Danish melodrama directed by August Blom. Clara Wieth starred in the title role of the Vampire Dancer, which is just what she was: a dancer performing her seductions on-stage. Off-stage, the young girl is kindhearted and a bit naïve. The lustful dance, during which Robert Dinesen succumbs to the dancer’s fatal charms, remained the centerpiece of the film, which was a popular success and made Wieth an international star.

Professor Andrew Bobileff leads a quiet and withdrawn life with his daughter Anja. Then, out of the blue, he is accused of taking part in a conspiracy against the government. He proclaims his innocence, yet is imprisoned before the eyes of his daughter, who vows to exact a bloody revenge on the governor. Anja flees to the capital, finds work as an actress at the court theatre and becomes engaged to fellow actor Jean Fort. Meanwhile, Bobileff dies in prison, and when Anja accidentally comes across the governor on the street, she cannot resist the temptation to repeat her vow of revenge. (Stumfilm.dk)