Jante, Denmark, 1915. The young Espen is full of romantic ideas of becoming a writer, and desperate to escape a life of grinding poverty in the local ironworks. An offer of work on board a departing ship by Irish sailor, John Wakefield, seizes Espen's imagination and he jumps at the chance of advanture on the high seas.

Espen idolises John, his liberator and his friend but, en route to the redwood forests of Newfoundland, he discovers that John is not what he seems. When Espen is caught suggling food supplies on board ship, John betrays him to the sadistic captain, and Espen is brutally whipped.

Confused and afratd, Espen risks his life and jumps ship. Washed ashore, he finds himself in a little village called Misery Harbor, where he finds work, but he is horrified to find that John Wakefield is there too.

John manages to persuade Espen of his innocence, but shows his true colors again when a battle for the affections of local girl Eva ends in bitter jealousy. Unable to deal with his second humiliation at John's hands, Espen hunts him down in a drunken eage and stabs him.

Oslo, 1932. Listening to his tale, Jenny doubts Espen is capable of murder. Realising how much he needs Jenny, Espen retells the conclusion to his story, and this time resolves to tell the truth; but the truth can not only be stranger than fiction, it can be incomparably worse.

NOMINATED:
  • Montreal World Film Festival - Grand Prix des Ameriques - Nils Gaup

Language: In Danish/Norwegian/English