victor sjöström körkarlen plunge the viewer into life low depth for much of it running time and with grim scene of alcoholic degradation and family violence and suicidal despair and but the most memorable passage involve the mythic image of death itself . here death be embody a a ghostly horse drawn carriage and drive by a wretched sinner who be the last person to die on the previous new year eve . for one year the wretch must collect the soul of the newly depart and and after twelve month of this horrible servitude the driver own soul be finally release when the last person to die on december 31st become the new driver . the scene involve this carriage ( the film be know a the phantom carriage or the phantom chariot in english speaking country ) be eerie and mesmerizing and utilize double exposure cinematography that be quite sophisticated for it time and still effective when see today . most strikingly and the carriage travel to the floor of the ocean to collect the soul of a person who drown . as fascinating a these scene be and however and the bulk of the film be concern with the downward spiral of david holm and play by the director himself in an understated portrayal of a man who have give up on the possibility of live a decent life . in flashback we see holm enjoy a pleasant day at the beach with his wife and child and brother and and he appear to be a perfectly ordinary guy . abruptly and without segue or explanation and we then see holm a an alcoholic wreck and in trouble with the law and alienate from his family . ordinarily this leap from before to after might feel like a story tell deficiency and but in this case the filmmaker trust u to fill in the familiar and sordid detail on our own . it suggest that holm have be lead astray by his convivial friend george and the drinking companion who first relate the tale of the phantom carriage and but whatever the cause of his downfall holm appear to be a lose cause and a mean spirit drunk who take perverse pleasure in inflict pain on his family and in refuse to reform . while david holm be our central figure the story true catalyst be a young salvation army nurse who take a sympathetic interest in his case and doggedly believe in him despite his hateful behavior . when the nurse herself be die indirectly due to her ministration on holm behalf she demand to see him and and thus inadvertently set in motion a chain of event that will result in his recovery . at time this film resemble dickens tale of scrooge in it use of ghostly visitor who inspire a deeply flaw man to take stock of his life and suffer over his misbehavior and and reform . i be also remind of sjöström 1917 drama terje vigen and in which a man return from jail to find his house empty and his family go ( a sequence echoed here ) . the director also reiterate a standard theme of scandinavian folklore and find earlier in his berg ejvind och han hustru ( a. k. a. the outlaw and his wife and 1918 ) that no man can outrun his fate . this time and however and it could be argue that david holm actually succeed in evade his seemingly inevitable fate and for he give an unexpected second chance to make amends . viewer expect a plunge into the supernatural will appreciate the sequence feature the phantom carriage of the title and but may not be prepare for this film painful examination of a troubled man alcoholic downfall . but those with a taste for intense and powerful silent drama will appreciate körkarlen in it entirety . it stand with the best serious cinema of it era and be certainly one of sjöström most accomplished work .