Jon Mirsalis on Piano

(Thomas Graals bästa film). The first of the two Thomas Graal comedies stars Stiller's legendary counterpart at the Swedish Biograph Company, actor and director Victor Sjöström, as Thomas Graal. Thomas, a famous yet lazy scriptwriter, is more interested in making passes at his beautiful secretary, Bessie, than in meeting deadlines. When Bessie, tired of Thomas's advances, quits and leaves, Thomas is suddenly inspired and begins to script out how he and Bessie met. In an extended flashback, words and images compete as the script he writes contradicts what we see "really" happened. Sjöström, usually known for his serious dramatic roles, shows surprising comic talent in this highly successful parody of the filmmaking industry.