Film Journal 2023: Margrete den første (Margrete: Queen of the North)

Film Journal 2023: Margrete den første (Margrete: Queen of the North)
Directed by Charlotte Sieling

Margrete: Queen of the North is made all the richer for the films apparent obscurity. Both the subject matter, which weaves a storied exploration of one of history’s most mysterious and fascinating Queens, and in the films release, which managed to fly almost entirely under the radar and out of sight in 2022. Makes stumbling across this gem that much more meaningful and exciting.

It’s a beautifully imagined period piece from the costume work right down to the often breathtaking Swedish landscape. A transcendent score, which enfolds the drama in an often nail biting degree of tension, acts as the perfect compliment to some outstanding performances, particularly the films lead.

One of the distinctive elements of the script is the moral tension that emerges naturally from the source material. The union between Norway, Sweden and Denmark that is still enjoyed today stems largely from this moment in history, where a pious and visionary queen helped to bring peace to the once embattled and divided lands. The story hinges on past events concerning her son, the once future king awaiting proper age who’s presumed death became a viscious rumor hanging over the Queens head, representing an obstacle she would need to overcome throughout her tenure. To keep the peace, or achieve peace, she brings a young boy into the courts and anoints him as her son and future king. When word comes to her that someone claiming to be her true son is on his way back to the kingdom, she is left with an impossible choice and no capacity to get at the truth. Believe this now man is her son and upset the union by throwing the stability of the kingdom into turmoil or hang him for treason.

Most of the film sits in this impossible choice, giving us the sense that things could implode at any minute depending on how this moral dilemma gets solved. It’s a fascinating exploration of the sort of political chessmatch that followed such alliances and oppositions at this point in history, and the Director really allows us to feel even the smallest details and intimate moments.

The films concluding moments are particularly invigorating, featuring an intense build up of different moments all colliding in this final climatic fashion, really putting a final explanation point to the mystery that clouds the actual history from our view. There is a fine point given to the necessary lack of resolution that allows the film to play with the potential of making certain interpretive moves or allowing the mystery to linger. There is a sense in which it does both things at the same time, which I felt was perfectly suited to the way it told this story from the beginning.

Definitely an unsung period piece, and for anyone who is a fan of these medieval era stories this would be a great choice not just for the powerful story and impressive technical feats, but for the chance to dig into an interesting piece of history that might up to this point be unfamiliar.