Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: Thomas Graal’s Basta Barn (Mauritz Still..

Peter Cowie, in his volume Scandinavian Cinema, writes, "The domestic relationships and erotic byplay in Stiller's comedies posses an application and validity beyond their immediate setting- and generation." In his volume Eighty Years of Cinema, Peter Cowie opines, "There is a spirited mischievousness about the performances of Victor Sjostrom and Karen Molander in 'Thomas Graal's First Child' that makes other acting of the period seem academic and ponderous.

Scholar Laura Horak, Carlton University, in the Journal of Scandinavian Cinema, points to Mauritz Stiller having between 1913-1918 directed "feminism comedies" and having "used comedy to explore controversial issues and contest the melodramatic tenor of sexual debates by modelling a light-hearted, cosmopolitan attitude towards social change".

Directed by Mauritz Stiller during 1918, the photoplay to ""Thomas Graal's Basta Barn" (Marriage ala Mode) was written by Gustaf Molander and the cinematographer to the film was Henrik Jaenzon. Starring with Victor Sjostrom and Karen Molander was actress Jenny Tschernichin-Larsson. Gustaf and Karin Molander were married from 1909 to 1919. Gustaf Molander continued as a writer and director of the third film in the series, "Thomas Graal's Myndling", photographed by Adrian Bjurman and starring Vera Schmiterlow, Gull Natrop, Tekla Sjoblom- although Molander was criticized for later directing comedies it may be that he was more recognized for continuing films in the series of adaptations by Victor Sjostrom of the works of Selma Lagerlof, making him more of a protogee of Victor Sjostrom and Mauritz Stiller by his having included himself in the Golden Age of Silent Film, which again he quickly absconded from after the advent of sound film.

It almost goes with out saying that that year Victor Sjostrom would gain worldwide recognition for Mauritz Stiller and himself with the protypical first classic film of the Golden Age of Swedish Silent Film, "The Outlaw and His Wife", which he directed and in which he starred on screen. He and Stiller both would soon be directing adaptations of the author Selma Lagerlof

Mauritz Stiller would not attempt to direct comedies in the United States before returning to Sweden, adhering to the "genre" he and Sjostrom had established together.

Victor Sjostrom playlist Mauritz Stiller