Selkvinnen

Selkvinnen (The Seal Woman) is a Norwegian film from 1953. It was directed by Lauritz Falk and Per Jonson; Falk himself played the lead role in the film. The film script was written by Leif Sinding. Gunnar Sønstevold composed the music for the film. Plot Danish bailiffs rule the Faroe Islands with a firm hand. In Tórshavn resides the bailiff Hammershaimb, who is hard and unapproachable in his civil service, but is caring and loving as a family man. He tries to relieve his daughter Inger's boredom by letting her travel to his new country house, Skardir, while he ponders his administrative problems. First and foremost, it is the royal trade monopoly and its harsh methods that is a source of dissatisfaction, and public opinion against the monopoly is growing stronger. The Faroese are aware that this institution is impoverishing them, and the leader of the public opinion campaign against it is Paul Nolsøe, with the rich farmer Hannes Klasor by his side. The first time Paul and the bailiff's daughter Inger meet is when Paul, who is a renowned at catching northern gannets at risk to his own life, tries to show Inger how this dangerous task in the mountains takes place. Inger feels strongly attracted to the stout Faroese farmer, and gradually a friendship develops between them. Paul shows her the land, and he takes her home to his farm, where his cousin Ragni manages the house. Inger discovers that Ragni is in love with her cousin, something Paul does not understand. After an unsuccessful meeting between Paul and the bailiff, the bailiff is made aware by his servant of the friendship between Inger and Paul. Nonetheless, they continue to meet. Paul tells Inger that he has plans to travel to Copenhagen and tell the king about the irregularities of the monopoly. However, Inger is skeptical about this. Hannes is upset after a failed courtship, and he urges the farmers to fight, but Paul urges level-headedness. This leads to a fight between the two men, when a humpback whale is suddenly spotted in the sea. Then the hunt is underway, and afterward there is a party. It has been arranged that Inger will leave the Faroe Islands, but she refuses. However, when she finds out that her father is corrupt, she agrees to travel. When Paul is to take the boat to Copenhagen, he and his two fellow travelers are overpowered and locked inside the hold. Paul sees Inger from the hold, and he thinks she has betrayed him. He tells his comrades the legend of the seal woman.