The Image Makers (Bildmakarna)

Hold it...

Tora.

Stop it!

THE IMAGE MAKERS BY PER OLOV ENQUIST

No, Jules...

Over here.

Get down.

Down.

Hold it...

-Jules! -I'm scared shit less.

-Are you scared of her? -She's a national treasure.

-And we've been tinkering forever... -Don't say tinker.

-You never know. -It sounds common.

Tinker.

Tinker, tinker, tinker!

Tinker.

All right- I was trying to seem humble and keep a low profile.

Come on, honey.

Turn around.

How's this? No good?

All this sucking up to a fat old bumblebee like her.

Cut it out.

Couldn't you please...

No, I don't want to.

Well, I'm used to that.

I've told you I don't want to- Don't sulk.

It's painful- Every time I'm near you,

I feel like a steam boiler ready to blow.

-Don't worry, she won't eat you. -I end up walking all doubled over.

I might get sick and die.

-And then you'll... -Be sorry?

Everyone's always sorry in the end.

-Will she get to see it all? -We're not finished cutting it.

Listen--- I have something to confess.

It's driving me crazy that I can't have you.

-Why don't you let up? -Because it's the truth.

-It's the honest truth. -"Honest, honest, honest---"

Every time you drink, out comes your honesty.

Every time I jerk off, I think of you.

-Honest? -Every single time.

Christ, that's so sweet- That's so sweet!

-It's like a damn dry run. -A dry run?

It's only purely theoretical.

But seriously, you imagine the two of us doing it?

So I'm there with you, right--- Stop it...

But I don't actually have to do it.

"Don't have to"? Gee, thanks a lot!

Right...

It might be lovely, though.

Wouldn't it be great if life were like that?

That most things only took place in your imagination.

You could be with everyone.

You could be everywhere,

and be with any number of different people.

You could be there

for everyone.

Actually, I pictured myself as being the only one.

It would be like when you and Victor make movies

and I'm up there on the silver screen for everyone to possess,

without having to do it.

Life would be like the movies.

No...

What's this? Is this Victor's script?

No, it's hers. It's a transcript from the book.

Can't you see how frustrating it is?

To just keep on imagining and imagining...

My, that's wonderful!

Imagine being able to write like that even though you're fat and old.

Lord, it's beautiful!

"Do not think that my body is of no consequence-"

"It houses a soul,just as your body houses your soul,

"only do not picture it as being solid, heavy or strong.

"Picture it as a reflection in a mirror.

"Imagine that this image is able to leave the mirror

"and can talk, see and move about-"

-Is that in the movie? -It inspired our double exposures.

When Death's driver arrives and the drunkard leaves his dead body.

"A reflection in a mirror-" Something is pulled clear,

away from life's filth.

-And it becomes a thing of beauty. -The bird of clay takes flight.

"Do not think that my body is of no consequence.

"Picture it as a reflection in a mirror-"

Tora?

-How are you doing? -Fine.

I mean, is it over between you and Victor?

-What's going on? -I don't know.

I heard Edith's in Helsinki.

-Does she know? -He doesn't say much.

Yes, she knows.

Was that why you didn't get the part in Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness?

I don't get it.

I'd better go before they get here, or Victor will be angry.

I don't think he wants me to meet Selma, I might say the wrong things.

-I think he's ashamed of me. -No, that's not true.

It's just the way things are between you, and Edith in Helsinki...

So I've been dumped- Just like that!

Out of the blue.

"A dry run"!

Don't you want to see Selma?

It's not every day you get the chance to meet a Nobel Prize winner.

No--- He would be ashamed of me.

I always make a fool of myself in situations like those.

But he's never ashamed of Edith.

That's the difference, isn't it?

That must be the difference.

I guess that's

the difference.

Jules, you stingy bastard, why aren't you sharing that bottle?

I didn't think it was appropriate, seeing our movie's about drunks.

You wonder what a person who writes such beautiful lines is like.

Where it all comes from, and why...

There must be a reason.

It's all so fantastic.

"Do not think that my body is of no consequence.

"It houses a soul,just as your body houses your soul,

"only do not picture it as being solid, heavy or strong.

"Picture it as a reflection in a mirror.

"Imagine that this image is able to leave the mirror

"and can talk, see and move about-"

That was beautiful.

-You startled me! -It wasn't my intention.

-Who said that? -You did--- Ma'am- Sorry, I'm rattled.

Aren't those your words?

Yes, but when I heard them, I heard someone else entirely.

-How do you do? -It was just me- How do you do?

-Hi, Victor. -Hi.

This is Tora Teje, she's an actress.

Julius Jaenzon is a photographer.

He spells his name J-A-E-N-Z-O-N...

He's a photographer, and he's done a great job on the trick photography.

Pardon me--- Please have a seat.

We're very proud of the consistency of the spirits.

Consistency?

They had to be transparent, and Mr Jaenzon's been very clever.

The chairs in front of a spirit are opaque.

So Mr Jaenzon is responsible for the spirituality of the movie.

That's a scream- "Spirituality"?

Sorry, but it was such a relief that you could crack a joke...

-Is it loaded? -It has been for quite a while.

-I wasn't aware you were here, Tora. -Don't worry, I'm leaving- Goodbye.

I know my place, even if I am a bit stunned.

What a pity you're leaving.

I recognise you.

Weren't you in the film version of Jerusalem?

-What was that strange title of the movie? -Karin ingmarsdotter.

But you're not in this one? Why not?

Mrs Sjöström said no. Mrs Sjöström happens to be jealous.

A young, beautiful and talented girl needs to be careful with herself

and with other people's marriages.

I see.

Well, goodbye.

Kiss my arse!

Well, that leaves me with my regular line, "Goodbye!"

-Why? -Because I damn well won't take it.

Sit around and admire each other, but I'm saying goodbye.

I'm getting the hell out, I refuse to take any more.

Young, beautiful and talented girl exits the room.

I will be careful, but no one gets to order me to.

I'm sick of people being in my face.

It's not big enough- End of story.

Don't just stand there like an idiot.

Don't be mortified- Sure, I made a fool of myself.

Fine, I'm leaving- I've already said my exit line.

-I demand that you apologise. -Not a fucking chance!

-She doesn't know what she's talking about. -What did I say?

I just got here.

No, you've been here for ages. Your spirit has been here for weeks.

Look at the boys, they're terrified.

Jules here has been boozing it up.

-They're scared! -Of what?

-Of you coming here. -But you don't seem scared, dear.

Oh, I am, but not of you.

-Not of... -Dear, dear!

I must apologise, Dr Lagerlöf. I don't know what to say.

Miss--- Mrs Teje is out of sorts.

It's unforgivable--- Unfathomable...

Shut up!

There's nothing unfathomable going on.

Tora, please!

Cease repeating "Holy shit" like a parrot!

Fetch the girl a glass of water and a handkerchief, and hurry!

-You heard her! -Mr Sjöström...

Give us a moment alone, please.

It's better to get angry than to run away.

That's right...

You've scared the shit out of them. They don't really like having the author around.

They want to tinker with the... What do you call it?

-The movie? -The spirits- The soul of the movie.

They want to tinker in peace- They figure you regard the soul of the tale as your creation.

-And they'd like to tinker with it. -You have some nerve, my dear.

-Even the King treats me formally. -I forget to mind my manners.

Being confused makes me irresponsible, see?

So my behaviour's excusable.

And the passage I read was so beautiful.

The bit about the body being like a reflection in a mirror.

-That led me to believe... -Believe what?

That the author of those lines would understand everything, including me.

That's what pissed me off, I expected more.

-You understand. -You, perhaps, but not everything.

Blow your nose and take a seat.