Sinopsis
In 1625, the vicar of Vejlby is convicted for the murder of his stable-hand, Niels Bruus. Circumstantial evidence turns the scales of justice against the vicar. The magistrate, who was going to marry the vicar's daughter, must reluctantly pass the death-sentence. Only many years after the execution does the lonely and unhappy magistrate discover the truth. The vicar was innocent, the crime having been carefully staged by Niels Bruus's brother Morten, who wanted revenge after having been rejected by Mette. This is the final blow for the magistrate, but before he dies, he learns that Mette still loves him.
After the First World War, Nordisk tried desperately to recapture their lost markets. Clearly inspired by the international success of Swedish cinema, they tried making a number of "national" films, costume pictures inspired by Danish literary classics. Præsten i Vejlby is a good example, based on a well-known 1829 short story by Steen Steensen Blicher, which in turn was inspired by historical events. The film cannot equal the dramatic intensity of the great Swedish films, but it is handsomely made, partly shot on the actual locations referred to Blicher, and elaborately tinted in a variety of colors. Soon after this film, Nordisk adopted a much simpler tinting scheme, using light amber for most scenes except nighttime scenes, which were tinted blue.
