This period drama by Henrik Ibsen, originally published anonymously, isset in the sixteenth century at the time of the Union of Calmar, whichhad reduced Norway to little more than a province of Denmark. The titlecharacter is based on the real-life Norwegian aristocrat IngerdOttisdatter, who sought to mobilise the Norwegians to fight forindependence in 1528. Like Ibsen’s play, the plot in this film takes placein the course of a single night, during which Lady Inger of Østråt has tomake the crucial decision of whether to join forces with Sweden againstthe Danes and call her people to arms. Since the death of her husband,royal consul Nils Gyldenløve, four years previously, Lady Inger has livedalone with her daughter Eline on the huge family estate. But tonight she hasmany guests, for all manner of emissaries representing the interests ofDenmark and Sweden have made their way to Østråt. One of them is NilsStenson, Lady Inger’s illegitimate son, who grew up in Sweden.