MONOPOLY
Mads Andersen-Skjern, a former commercial traveler in clothing, -
- has settled in the small town of Korsbæk to run his own business.
Soon, he's outstripping the mismanaged Ladies' Store, -
- whose owner, Albert Arnesen, belongs to the town's old families, -
- who all turn their backs on the new man, Mads.
Bank manager Varnæs's family ignore Mads openly, -
- even when competition and recession threaten Arnesen's shop -
- and other local businesses.
Arnesen's junior staff member, Arnold, moves across the street.
Mr. Schwann stays and invests his inheritance in The Ladies' Store -
- to become a partner and to help the shop through the crisis.
ln spite of the bourgeoisie, Mads's children go to the private school.
He's married lngeborg, daughter of his first local friend, Oluf Larsen, -
- and has adopted her daughter, Ellen.
The town's political extremes are Varnæs' brother Jørgen, -
- attorney and Conservative parliamentary candidate, -
- and railwayman Lauritz Jensen, ''Red'', who's a socialist.
Unemployment is widespread, but Mads expands his business.
He starts producing clothes -
- and loaning money to distressed farmers.
THE MAlDEN AUNT
- Can you see Uncle Kristen? - There he is.
- Where? - There.
There you are.
- Hello! - Hello.
Hello, Daniel. And this must be Ellen? Hello.
I'm the eldest of us, but l've only ever traveled 3rd class.
- It's about time you try, brother. - All in good time.
It's a long way from Fredericia to Korsbæk.
- We're glad to have you here. - Good.
Thanks for now. Especially for this one.
Excuse me. Something's up.
- Must it be right now? - Yes. We're short of so many things.
As business is, it's your job to sell the things we do have.
We have hardly any ready-made clothing, and that's what they ask for.
It's a fad, it'll pass.
Ladies used to sew their own clothes, or have them sewn.
They'll go back to that. Real ladies don't want ready-made clothing.
- They sell lots of it across the street. - Not to real ladies.
A good saleswoman can always get a customer to buy good fabric instead.
It's not enough that the fabric's good. It must be fashionable, too!
- What do you mean? - We only have stuff from last year.
Or from the year before!
I say ... Straight out of a fashion magazine!
Yes, l've been to Copenhagen.
l was looking for Daisy ...
Come to Mommy ...
I'd like to be alone with my wife. I'm sure you understand.
Yes, madam's been away for days.
People talk about you. And now you turn up in a fancy-dress costume!
You represent me and this shop!
- I don't want to look like a peasant. - This is the town's leading shop!
It was, a long time ago!
l'm sorry, Albert, that was unkind. But l can't stand you being petty.
- Where did you get the money from? - It was just some money l had.
And look what l've been given ... I mean, bought ...
A portable gramophone.
Stop that drunken negro music!
You're a dull, old, nasty man.
I'm sorry, little Vicki.
Vicki, l didn't mean it.
What will the bank do without you?
Well, they did ask what Mads could use me for.
- You've only got your bank training. - Sorry about that.
- Will Uncle Kristen work in the shop? - No, he'll help Daddy in the office.
The bank manager did say that my post is vacant at all times ...
Because it would never be the same without me ...
For what we are about to receive -
- may the Lord make us truly thankful.
Amen.
I'm sorry. l'd forgotten.
I remember a lot of things better than you do.
Your brother's stubborn, but now we can get him to drink a glass of beer.
- In my home we sang before meals. - They were Grundtvigians.
- And what are you, Larsen? - Grandad's a Social Democrat.
Neither prayers or singing will help there.
- It's you Liberals who need that. - Will Uncle Kristen live here?
- We haven't got enough room. - At Ulrik's they've two guest rooms.
We'll have that too, one day.
- Where'll you live, then? - You could stay at the hostel.
- Is that your best hotel? - No, that's the Post House.
- But the hostel is nice and clean. - Well, we'll see.
My brother's got fancy habits. He'll end up in a royal suite.
Before l bought my shop I spent many a night on a bench in order to ...
... save shilling after shilling and get my own business.
- Amen. - Daniel ...
THE LADlES' CLUB BAZAAR in aid of poor confirmands
- What if madam sees us, Boldt? - Didn't she give you two tickets?
- One of them was for Laura. - Aren't l just as good as Laura?
What did you say, Hans Christian?
Thanks to our musical townswoman, Miss Elisabeth Friis, -
- who played Beethoven's Sonatina in G minor so beautifully.
Now for the auction. Colonel Hachel has promised to be the auctioneer, -
- so I'll lay down my weapon and give way to the Army.
As your doctor, might l prescribe a refreshment downstairs?
Sorry, I can't. Maude's got a picture in the auction.
We'll start with this beautiful alabaster vase. Let's have a bid.
- 2 kroner. - 2 kroner.
- 3 kroner. - 3 kroner over there.
Who is that man with his arm round Agnes?
- Is this beautiful vase really ... - 3,25!
I'd like a word with you ... Can we go outside?
3,35!
Mother, it's the vase we've donated because we haven't got room for it.
Going, going, gone. The vase is sold to Mrs. Fernando Møhge.
It's an honor.
I've always wanted one of those.
You've got to understand, Albert, l've gone this far because we're friends.
And because our fathers and grandfathers were friends.
- But this'll discredit me. - I must have capital.
It's just for the time being. It's the times ...
Yes, it's the times, too, Albert.
Maybe you think this is mad, as we've always been neighbors on the Strip.
- But you could sell the cottage. - Sunny Banks?
Our grandfathers built their houses the same year!
Your grandfather founded the business, too.
Which would he prefer to keep?
I'm bid 3 kroner.
Going, going, gone. A model of the Blackfriars' Church.
For that lady.
And next a drawing-room picture. ''Evening by the Lake'', -
- painted by the bank manager's wife, Mrs. Varnæs. What am l bid?
- 50 øre! - How dare she.
l'll bid 1 krone.
1 ,50.
Is this work of art, painted by one of the loveliest ladies in our town, -
- really going to go for 1 ,50?
- 1 ,75. - Hans Christian promised to ...
- I'll ask again. Is this picture ... - All right, if you want that crap.
2 kroner.
Going, going, gone ...
The porter will show you your room in a moment. Here's our restaurant.
May we offer you something?
- A cup of coffee would be nice. - Yes. Let me take your coat.
Sorry to interrupt, but Maude wants to go home. She's not feeling well.
- The usual germ scare? - No, it's that picture.
It went for 2 kroner to Agnes's beau.
- Elisabeth ... - We're coming now, Maude.
We'll continue our talk tomorrow.
It's on the house, sir.
- Thank you. - Sir.
- Hi, Daniel! - Hello!
Ulrik, don't do that in this awful traffic!
- I'm off. Aren't you getting up? - I'm staying in bed.
- If you're sick, I'll get the doctor. - You know what's wrong.
It'd never have happened if you'd been there.
I had to talk to Albert, I told you. He's 30,000 kroner short.
- Well, you can fix that. - I can't grant him that loan.
- The auditors would comment on it. - Hire some other auditors, then.
- Are you staying in bed? - Yes.
- l'll send Agnes in with a tray. - I don't want to set eyes on her.
She did it in good faith. She's hung it in her room because she likes it.
Is that supposed to be a compliment? Really, Elisabeth.
ls it of any consolation that her boyfriend thought it was crap?
Are you becoming vulgar, too?
Everything common and ugly is creeping in everywhere.
It sticks to everything, like dirt and dust ...
Things aren't what they used to be. You aren't the way you used to be.
- Me? - Nobody is, not even Hans Christian.
Perhaps it's because we're all getting older, except ...
- Except me, you mean? - No. Forget it, Maude.
But l'd get out of bed anyway.
- lt suits you, Mrs. Violet. - It's the most expensive one.
- 6 kroner per yard. - As Arnold's mother you get 10 % off.
And your investments will give plenty of interest.
Yes, that's true. I'll take five yards. No, six.
Mr. Holst of Mill Farm is here to put down collateral in this year's crops.
Cigar?
l swear! She started wailing and flung her arms round madam's neck.
And madam forgot all about snot and germs and said ''My poor Victoria!''
- Is Arnesen dead? - That wouldn't have made her cry.
It's much worse. The dog, maybe? Get the tray ready!
He can't sell the summer cottage! It's right next to ours ...
He needs a lot of money for the business. But why must l suffer?
We all will. Think of the neighbors we might get. And the tennis court!
We'll manage. Perhaps my sister can ...
- Miss Friis is out with the children. - We'll manage, Agnes. Thank you.
The cottage is going to be sold.
That's fine with me. l've never liked going to the country.
Not ours, theirs. Arnesen's. He's short of money.
- Everyone is, at the moment. - Not us.
You and l only hear about these things right at the end.
Look at Grocer Munk. Arendse, the cook, had been there for 25 years.
She knew nothing about him going bankrupt before he'd shot himself.
- And his wife knew nothing either. - The wives never know.
No, sir, it wouldn't do, if you ask me, it'd be open to criticism.
- Taking over the property? - Who'd buy such a big place now?
- I just hoped that ... - It wouldn't be wise, sir.
We've already done more for Mr. Arnesen than we should have.
And if there is a serious buyer, perhaps we can get out of it.
- It's not easy. - No, the crisis has reached Korsbæk.
We have to look at the scraps left by Mr. Munk, too.
I went to school with his daughters. His grandfather co-founded the bank.
Yes, times are hard. These estates are all alike.
I've got the assets here.
The representative gave me exclusive right on the collection.
- Did Gudrun give you lunch? - Yes. And the cash discount?
- They're all short. l got 20 %. - You're a clever girl.
No, but we're the only people in town who can pay.
- We're doing well, lngeborg. - Yes. But ...
- But what? - It's still very sad.
The unemployed, all the people going bankrupt with big old businesses ...
Which they haven't built themselves. They don't respect money. We do.
We ... Sometimes l feel we're sitting on an island, nice and dry, -
- while around us people are drowning, one after the other.
- Hello there! - They forgot to learn how to swim.
Hello.
We've seen it. There's 4,5 acres of land right down to the beach.
Hansen here will be our puppet. Puppet?
- You're a damned stout puppet. - What's the house like?
It's big. Hello, lngeborg. lt's made of wood. The ground is all heather.
What do you want 4,5 acres on the Strip for?
- Can anyone afford that? - Divided into plots. lt'll come.
What the rich have done up to now, everyone will want to do in the future.
- Do you think so? - I know. lt's my rule-of-thumb.
The one you and l and the children are going to live by.
KORSBÆK MUSlCAL SOClETY Song evening, lieder and romances
- Thank you. l'll hold it for you. - I'm terribly sorry.
Playing two-handed is too boring.
- The train's leaving. - So am I, pretty soon.
Goodbye, gentlemen. Have a pleasant journey.
- Weren't we ... - Going to the movies? lt's too late.
- We can stay here. - And do what?
What we'd do? Dilly-dally you, dilly-dally me ...
dilly-dally you and me ...
- Isn't it time for dinner, Fatty? - Can l call home and check?
Go ahead. What did you have again, apart from the beer?
Boiled cod and stewed prunes.
91 4, please.
Is that you, Marie? What's for supper tonight?
We're having roast pork.
- It's a wicked thing to do. - Having coffee together?
Laughing at someone giving a concert. l'm ashamed.
You mustn't be. You were so beautiful when you laughed.
You're beautiful now too, when you're ashamed.
Perhaps you won't believe me, but from the first time l saw you l knew -
- that you were .... well, remarkable. I don't know how else to put it.
- You only met me one hour ago. - I've known you for weeks.
You came her with your sister.
Oh, but aren't you mistaken? My sister's the remarkable one.
I'm not mistaken.
- Good evening, Miss Friis. - Good evening, Mr. Schwann.
Who is that funny little man? He eats here too.
He's head man in the big clothes shop. No, l think he's a partner now.
l thought the big clothes shop was my brother's.
- Your brother?. Are you ..? - I haven't even introduced myself.
Kristen Andersen-Skjern.
Elisabeth Friis. The interval's over, we'd better ...
Why don't we stay here?
You'll just laugh, and then you'll be ashamed ...
Cheers.
No, you mustn't tell me any more now ...
I promise.
May l?
That was our first dance. Good night, Elisabeth.
Good night, Kristen.
- Well, what do you think? - You'll be the belle of the ball.
- Don't you think so? - Yes, if she doesn't catch a cold.
Or gets a headache or it's too dirty.
- Hans Christian ... - May l offer you my arm, madam?
- Where are they going? - To a gala dinner and a ball.
Can we play gala dinner? Come on, Regitze.
- Your health, Mrs. Fernando Møhge. - My pleasure, Colonel Hachel.
- It's for you. - For me?
I've just seen your sister. She's not as remarkable as you are.
Tonight? Well, if Laura can stay ... I'm sure she can.
Beethoven played the solo himself. He wrote in one of his letters:
''This sudden fame drives me mad.''
''Happiness seeks me out and l'm afraid it will end with a new ...''
- Who is it, Elisabeth? - I saw the Møhges. They told you?
They'd seen you with an unknown man.
Is it someone from town? Someone we know?
- Yes and no. - So he hasn't been to this house.
- Not yet. ls it serious, Elisabeth? - Yes. Now it's serious.
- Is he well off? - Yes, even if you don't know him.
- How like you to start by asking that. - It's no shame to be a bit practical.
- Is he handsome? - Yes.
It's just like our guessing games when we were children.
- And when we were young. - You always guessed it.
Even when I'd decided to keep it a secret.
- It was nice telling one's secrets. - Well, some were best forgotten.
- Like the one you guessed, too ... - About your art teacher?
You were the only one who knew, but it became so ... unreal.
- I stopped believing it. - Why, Maude?
It sounded so impossible when I admitted it to you.
l could just hear how it would sound in Mama's and Papa's ears ...
Never mind. We were going to talk about you.
- How old is he? - He's five years younger than me.
- Five years. But Elisabeth ... - It'll get much worse.
I'd better tell you that his name is Kristen Andersen-Skjern.
- Andersen? But isn't that ..? - Yes.
His brother owns the clothes shop across the street. He works there, too.
You can't be serious. It's a joke, it's a bad joke.
It's no joke, Maude. I'm going to marry him.
Well, once you wanted to marry the gardener's son.
Yes, and Arne, but you spoiled that.
You, Mother, Father and our aunts.
We just laughed a little at his concert. It wasn't his playing we laughed at.
No, it was his dress suit you laughed at, because it was old and didn't fit.
Because he was poor!
This is much worse.
Do you realize what sort of people they are?
No, because l don't know them yet, and neither do you.
They've ruined everything for Arnesen.
His father-in-law is that pig dealer, and his wife was married to a convict!
- We can't mix with people like that! - My relationship is my business.
Think of Mama and Papa.
- Think of how we were brought up. - Yes, how exactly?
- It wasn't for the times we live in. - Aren't you happy here?
Don't you love the children anymore? I don't understand you.
- You must think it over. - I have. l've got a life, too.
What about our life? What about mine?
You'll have to sort that out yourself. Perhaps it's about time.
We need that fizzy water.
She'll be taking all her meals in bed now. Mr. Varnæs was quite pale ...
Enough of that!
Get that tray up. There's tea for Dr. Hansen too.
- What's this, Mrs. Varnæs, again? - Dear Doctor, only you can help us.
Us? Are there more of you?
Oh, dear ... tell me about it, then.
- Aren't the folds a little skewed? - I wouldn't worry about it.
ln a few days, madam will want them taken down again.
Now she's decided that there are germs in the hall carpet.
lt's got to be washed in soap bark. Hand me the curtain, please.
And the rings.
- Well, that's it. May l? - Yes, please do.
- Well? - How is she?
- We'll hang onto her this time. - This time too.
That was a piece of news. Is there anything l can do for you?
- They all ask that ... suddenly. - I should have asked ages ago.
- Ages ago? - One could have asked many things.
But you always seemed so ... As if you wanted to keep your secrets.
Funny. l always felt the same about you. That you had your secrets.
You can't just go around observing us all. There must be something more.
From before you came here. You must have been young once?
- Or haven't you? - Oh, yes.
Unfortunately, one might add. l've made my mistakes, but in time.
- Mistakes? - I got married.
- Is that a mistake? - With the wrong one.
When I was a graduate. The surgeon's daughter. Sounds like a bad novel.
- They usually end happily. - lt's even worse.
She was pregnant by another man. I was the chivalrous knight.
- Did she have the child? - Yes, and the father.
He got a divorce when the child was four. Then she left with the child.
He was a nice boy, too. And I came to Korsbæk.
You could have refused to get divorced.
There are enough bad marriages as it is.
Indeed.
- You are a remarkable woman. - What are you saying?
Your doctor wants to hear how you are but ends up talking about himself.
It's probably more interesting. You know everything about me already.
- Will you be able to cope? - To cope?
A completely different life outside your own circle?
- Do you know what I am? - No.
A maiden aunt.
A maiden aunt, oh God. You know, I've often played with the thought -
- of how my life would have been had l met an Elisabeth instead.
- We have so much in common. - We've got music, at any rate.
- I hear you're going to Salzburg. - Come along. Do!
- Traveling alone is so dull. - Maude gave you that idea.
- But l can't do that just know. - Of course not. But Elisabeth, if ...
- If you ever need me ... - I know. lt's very kind of you.
- Yes, it is. It's very kind of you. - No, I say it only for my own sake.
Anyway, l must be moving on.
Try to make your sister get up.
- Where did you get this? - Father bought it at an auction.
l want to buy a grand piano. Mr. Munk's is for sale.
- And put it in your hotel room? - No, I'm getting an apartment too.
- Alone, or ..? - She's said yes.
Isn't it strange? They live right opposite, but we only know Ulrik.
From tomorrow you'll know Elisabeth as well, and she's quite special.
- I know the two of you'll get along. - Kristen is getting married.
I needn't ask to whom. Congratulations, Kristen.
What does her family say?
Elisabeth doesn't need to ask. She's old enough to do as she likes.
- They'll say something all the same. - lt'll work itself out.
- Will the prefect hold your wedding? - Sure.
If he can afford it. Either way, there'll be a wedding.
Come in.
- You wanted to speak to me? - Yes ...
- Won't you sit down? - Thank you.
- Is there anything l can do for you? - You too?
Don't you like living with us? Haven't we ...
Yes, but l'm not sure l should have come in the first place.
- Wasn't it the best thing, after Arne? - Yes, for me.
But Maude, would she be this way if l hadn't always been there?
Now she's lying in that damn bed again. Sorry, Hans Christian.
You've been everything to us ... to me ... that Maude couldn't manage.
I'd probably have chosen you, if l'd met you first.
That's not why you wanted to see me.
No, it was the other business ... Why it's not possible.
Don't you get started on the pig dealer and the convict, too. Sorry.
You're not that way. The snobs are in our family.
No, it's the brother. He's a dangerous man.
He's ruined so many people here. He's crushing Albert.
Surely that shouldn't harm Kristen? Anyone could've outdone Arnesen.
It's his method. And his brother works for him. They're not our sort!
I'm not asking you to love them, but you can't expect me to give it up.
Elisabeth, for my sake ... no, for the children's sake, for your own sake.
Why not go to Salzburg? Stay and take that piano course you wanted.
Spend as much money as you like. Look at me, Elisabeth.
- lt's no good now. - Then I'll have to tell you this ...
- Will you give me two more minutes? - Yes.
Why does Andersen-Skjern employ his brother, who's trained in a bank?
- They deal in more than ribbons! - In ready-made clothes for example.
And mortgages which bypass this bank!
And that's not all that goes on in that back room. They lend money!
I wouldn't go as far as the consul and call it usury, but nonetheless ...
- Hans Christian, that's not true ... - They lend money. What can l do?
- I don't believe you. - Then ask him.
Smoke, by all means. It can't get any worse.
- Did she go there straight away? - She must have.
l think that's her.
- Was that my sister? - Yes, she'll have her lunch upstairs.
- Did she go to her room? - No, she's calling Dr. Hansen.
- I'm sorry. - It was good of you to come.
- Well? - I just wanted to ask ...
- Will you still take me to Salzburg? - I'd love to.
If you don't mind that there will be three of us.
After what happened, l had to find another traveling companion.
- Who? - That's a secret, for now.
I don't want you to pull out.
Even if you want lessons from Brailovsky himself, just do it.
- Thank you, Hans Christian. - Shall l take this?
It's a good thing we'll have an extra hand in Copenhagen. Ah, there he is.
The colonel?
Ladies ... And here's our beautiful companion.
Take good care of her.
I'm armed to the teeth so I can protect the lady's virtue.
Well, the train won't wait. Is the baggage in place?
Yes, sir.
You'll have a good trip. Two old friends and Elisabeth.
But he's a radical. Which is only mitigated by his ear for music.
I can't stand the colonel either. But he knows his railway timetable.
9:1 7? Yes, that's right. We're off.
I'm so relieved. Everything is as it was.
- Maybe. - Appearances are so important.
Come, children.
Father promised we'd go for a picnic.
No one goes for a picnic in November.
- Do you think it's open at all? - There's another car.
- I promised the children we'd go. - What if there's a draught?
lt's Uncle Jørgen's car!
Please ... The bags have been brought down from number six.
Thank you. And the bill ...
- lt is Uncle Jørgen. - Where's Aunt Minna?
Go and wash your hands, both of you.
This is my brother Hans Christian, the bank manager and ...
- This is Birgitte Graae. We ... - I've heard so much about you.
My sister-in-law Maude.
Birgitte and l have held a meeting about ...
- Can't you explain it to Maude? - We'd better be going.
Now, now ...
- But we just washed our hands. - I wish we could say the same.
I want to go home.