Den starkaste (1929)

Skipper Larsen and his first mate, Ole, plan the season’s seal- and bear-hunting voyage to Spitsbergen aboard the “Viking.” Larsen serves coffee at his home, where Ole takes an interest in the daughter of the house, Ingeborg. Larsen would be pleased to have Ole as his son-in-law. Ingeborg waves goodbye to the “Viking” and its crew as they head into Tromsø to provision for the long voyage. The “Maud,” another hunting vessel also being prepared for a trip to the Arctic Ocean, is moored in Tromsø harbor as well. There is rivalry between Ole and Jens, the “Maud’s” seal hunter, and it leads to an all-out brawl between the crews. Gustaf, an unemployed sailor, arrives at Larsen’s farm and gets a job there as a farmhand after the previous one has been dismissed. Gustaf and Ingeborg take a liking to each other. In the autumn, the Arctic voyagers return, and rivalry also develops between Ole and Gustaf. Larsen takes Ole’s side, but Ingeborg makes it perfectly clear that it is Gustaf she cares for. In a fight with Ole, Gustaf once again proves himself the stronger. Gustaf leaves the farm, and in the spring he signs on aboard the “Maud,” which is once again about to sail for Spitsbergen. The crew are hunting seals, and when Jens fails, Gustaf gets the chance to demonstrate his strength as a marksman, too. He scores a whole series of hits and is promoted. Jens, who is also demoted, now broods on revenge.