The White Viking
| Hvíti Víkingurinn | |
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| Directed by | Hrafn Gunnlaugsson |
| Produced by | Christer Abrahamsen |
| Written by | Hrafn Gunnlaugsson |
| Starring |
Gotti Sigurdarson Maria Bonnevie Tomas Norström Egill Ólafsson Helgi Skúlason Þorsteinn Hannesson |
| Edited by | Hrafn Gunnlaugsson |
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Release date
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Running time
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123 minutes (Theatrical cut) |
| Country | Iceland |
| Language | Icelandic, German |
| Budget | ISK200,000,000 |
The White Viking (alternative title Embla, Icelandic: Hvíti víkingurinn, Norwegian: Den hvite viking) is a 1991 film set in Norway and Iceland during the reign of Olaf I of Norway. The film loosely follows actual events.
Embla is the director's cut of the White Viking and released on DVD in 2007. It was premiered at the Reykjavik International Film Festival on October 6, 2007. It is the directors cut of the original film as the director imagined it. Gunnlaugsson chose to call the film Embla so that it is not confused with the White Viking, compiled by the producers of the film in 1992. Embla is the third film of the legendary Raven Trilogy (also known as the Viking Trilogy) that consists of three 'Viking' films:
Embla, as played by Maria Bonnevie, was her first screen role when she was only fifteen years of age. The choice of names for the young married couple comes from Nordic mythology, in which the first two humans are named Ask and Embla.
King Olav is a fanatical Christian who seeks to root out paganism in Norway. He hears the voice of Jesus, or White Christ, when praying which causes jealousy in his religious adviser, bishop Thangbrandur. The pagan jarl Godbrandur is the last major resistance to him. Godbrandur's daughter Embla marries Askur, the bastard of powerful lawspeaker Thorgeir of Iceland, and Godbrandur's foster son. King Olav and his men ambush the pagan ceremony. One of Olav's soldiers, Kolbeinn, crushes Godbrandur's wooden statue of Odin, but is axed to death by Embla. Askur and Embla fight the Christians but are captured. Desperately Godbrandur agrees to be baptised to save Askur and Embla. Askur is ordered to christen the remaining pagans on Iceland, since the king thinks a son of Iceland has better hopes than any man of the king. Meanwhile, Embla is kept in a convent as a hostage.
In Iceland, the tricks of conversion Thangbrandur thought Askur proves useless and Thangbrandur turns out to be something of a local joke among the pagans. Askur's half-brother Gunnar is alerted by Askur's presence, since he believes that Askur has come to usurp him. Gunnar and his insane mother Hallbera set up Askur and murder the smith Völondur, blaming it on Askur. Askur is gagged and presented to Thorgeir, unable to identify himself. Völondur's brother Hrappur and Gunnar want Askur to be killed, but due to Askur being a missionary, Thorgeir thinks a martyr's death is what Askur wants. Instead he exiles him back to Norway, like he had previously done with Thangbrandur.
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