Watch Erotikon

Erotikon is a Swedish silent film directed by the legendary filmmaker Mauritz Stiller, and released in 1920. The plot revolves around a wealthy and bored housewife named Irene (played by Tora Teje) who is drawn into an affair with a younger man, a brilliant engineer named Preben (played by Anders de Wahl). Throughout the movie, their illicit relationship is observed by a number of other players who are also grappling with their own romantic entanglements, creating a tangled web of desire, seduction, and betrayal.

The film opens with a sequence that establishes Irene's ennui and frustration with her life in a gilded cage. Her husband, the wealthy and indulgent Baron Felix (played by Einar Hanson), is so consumed with his own pursuits that he barely notices her existence, and their marriage has become a dull and lifeless routine. In desperation, Irene turns to her maid, her husband's former lover, and a visiting scientist, only to find that none of them are able to provide the excitement and passion that she craves.

Then, one evening at a dinner party, Irene meets Preben, a young engineer who has come to the city to work on a revolutionary new invention. Preben is immediately drawn to Irene, and they begin a flirtation that quickly evolves into a full-blown affair. The couple sneak around behind Felix's back, meeting up for secret trysts at Irene's country estate and in the city. Their relationship is complex and fraught, with Preben's scientific career and Irene's position in society at odds with their desires.

Meanwhile, there are several other characters who are also experiencing their own romantic dramas. Felix is carrying on an affair with the wild and tempestuous dancer Manda (played by Karin Molander), a woman who is far more interested in him for his wealth and connections than for any genuine affection. Preben's friend and colleague, the dashing young inventor Dr. Henning (played by Lars Hanson), is having an affair with a married woman named Dagmar (played by Belle Bennett), and he is also drawn to Irene. And Dagmar's husband, who is unaware of her infidelity, becomes increasingly suspicious of his wife's behavior and sets out to catch her in the act.

The rest of the film plays out in a series of twists and turns, with each character's desires and motivations clashing and intertwining. Preben must contend with the demands of his work, as well as his own growing obsession with Irene, while Irene struggles to balance her own desires with her social obligations. Felix is oblivious to the extent of his own wife's infidelity, while Manda plots her own escape from his grasp. And Dr. Henning finds himself caught between his own love for Dagmar and his growing attraction to Irene.

Throughout the film, Stiller employs a visual language that is both lush and surreal, with dreamlike sequences that heighten the emotional stakes of the characters' actions. There are moments when the film feels like a fever dream, with the lush gardens and glittering dance halls of the aristocracy serving as a backdrop for the seething passions of the characters. And yet, there is also a grounded realism to the film, with the complexities and compromises of the characters' lives rendered with a bracing honesty.

Overall, Erotikon is a fascinating snapshot of Swedish silent cinema in the early 20th century, with Mauritz Stiller's direction bringing a visually poetic sensibility to the story of love and desire. The film is a beautiful and challenging work, exploring the depths of human emotion and desire in a way that feels both sophisticated and deeply human. With powerful performances from its cast and striking visuals from its director, it remains a standout work of Swedish filmmaking, and a testament to the power of the silent film.