The Journey to the Yule Star (Reisen til Julestjernen) is a Norwegian film from 1976, directed by Ola Solum. It is based on the 1924 play of the same name by Sverre Brandt.
The film opens on a Framing Device of a troupe of troubadors telling the story of a distant, fantastical kingdom. On Christmas eve, princess Gulltopp (Ingrid Larsen) asks her father, the King (Knut Risan), if she can have the Yule Starnote to place at the top of the tree. While the king and queen gently let her down, the evil Count (Alf Nordvang) tells her that she should run into the woods to find it. The morning after, the princess is gone, and the queen (Bente Børsum) runs out to find her, disappearing as well. Stricken by grief, the King blames the star for the loss of his wife and daughter and curses it, causing it to fade away. Meanwhile, Gulltopp is found by the same group of troubadours from the opening. Having lost her memory, she is adopted and named Sonja.
Twelve years later, the troubadours arrive in the same kingdom, having heard that the realm is in mourning and hoping to lift spirits. They are asked to perform at the court, where the now adult Sonja (Hanne Krogh) befriends the king, who tells her of the tragedy that befell his kingdom years ago. Sonja suggests that if someone were to find the star, the queen and princess might return as well. She offers to go and find it, while the Count schemes behind the scenes to claim the King's throne.
The film is considered a Christmas classic, and is shown on the State-run channel NRK every year. Watching it is considered a tradition by thousands of Norwegian families. As of 2023, there is no English dub available.
The Journey to the Yule Star provides examples of the following tropes:
- Adorably Precocious Child: Princess Gulltopp is sweet and beloved by the entire court, save the Count. Regardless of their position, everyone treats her kindly and helps the King and Queen raise her.
- Big Damn Heroes: A group of nisses (creatures from Norwegian folklore similar to gnomes) show up to save Sonja when the Count corners her during her quest.
- Big Good: Santa Claus offers Sonja aid on her journey and guides her towards the star. His helpers also save her from the Count.
- Blatant Lies: Before performing a play that is blatantly a retelling of the actual events that occurred 12 years earlier, a performer assures us that "any similarities to real events or people is pure coincidence".
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: One of the nisses warn Sonja that she can't tell anyone where Santa's workshop is, before turning to the audience and telling them that they can't either. The Harlequin also occasionally addresses the audience.
- Court Jester: The Jester is a constant throughout the movie, providing some comedic relief while implying that he knows more than he lets on. He has a particular rivalry with the Count, who is often the target of his mockery.
- Deadpan Snarker: One of Santa's workers, upon hearing that Sonja is looking for the Christmas Star, has this to say;"You better jump into the Big Dippernote and drive down the Milky Way."
- Easy Amnesia: Gulltopp apparently loses her memory just from falling down a hill and spending a night unconscious in the woods.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Everyone aside from Gulltopp/Sonja, Ola, Petrine and Columbine are only known by their titles.
- Evil Is Hammy
- Nordvang clearly has a lot of fun hamming it up as the evil Count.
Count: This is a plot! A plot against my person!- Played for Laughs when the Harlequin portrays the Count in a Show Within a Show, hamming it up as much as he can. Especially during his Villain Song.
- Framing Device: The story is ostensibly one told by the Harlequin, as seen at the beginning. "Ostensibly" because trying to keep track of what is framing device and what is part of the story is an exersize in futility, since the Harlequin and his troupe are also major characters in the story and frequently jump inn and out of narrating it.
- The Good King: The King initially comes across as this, and the Harlequin describes him as wise and beloved, though as the movie goes on it becomes clear that he is The Good, But Flawed, King.
- Greed: The Count's motivation. He is already rather wealthy, but wants more, both money and power.
- The Hecate Sisters: Alluded to with Sonja as the adventurous and hopeful Maiden, the Queen as the motherly Matron, and the Crone as... the Crone, wise and experienced.
- The Hero's Journey: The titular quest follows a near one-to-one of the archetypical story;
- Call to Adventure: The King recounts to her his plight and Sonja decides to help him.
- Supernatural Aid: She meets the Crone.
- Threshold Guardian: The Count tries to stop her. At this point she has crossed the threshold and is in the unfamiliar world.
- Helper: Santa's Helpers aid her in driving of the Count, then lead her to Santa's workshop.
- Mentor: Santa advices her and tells her that the Star remains where it has always been, and she simply needs to see it.
- Road of Trials: While not quite that dramatic, Sonja's near fall into despair and subsequent prayer to the Star fulfills this role.
- Spiritual Death and Rebirth: The Count has Sonja imprisoned so he can claim credit. At this point the Supernatural Aid comes in handy, and the Crone saves her.
- Transformation: With the Crone's advice and aid, Sonja realizes her true heritage and becomes the princess again.
- Return: Sonja returns with the Star and takes her rightful place as the King's daughter.
- His Name Really Is "Barkeep": The Harlequin is introduced to the Court as "A man by the name of Harlequin", implying that it's his actual name rather than a title.
- Horrible Judge of Character: The King completely trusts the Count, despite his Obviously Evil-ness. Justified, as the King believes he himself is responsible, and doesn't think to blame the Count.
- Inexplicably Awesome: The film does not explain how the King could curse the Yule star or how that causes his wife to disappear in the process. In this case, it ties into the fairytale-feel of the film.
- Intergenerational Friendship: Before learning that they are father and daughter, the King takes a liking to Sonja and invites her to sit by his side, leading to them having a friendly conversation about the kingdom's plight.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: In the opening, the Harlequin says that his story took place in a kingdom much like the one he's currently in. Both the opening and the Harlequin's story are filmed at Akershus Fortress in Oslo.
- Logical Weakness: Played for Laughs: The Astrologer points out that he can't exactly do much to find the princess during daytime, since he deals in reading of the stars.
- Logic Bomb: A fantasy example. After the wisest men in the world have failed to find where the star has gone, the Astrologer offers to create a new one out of gold. Before leaving, he, presumably for fun, hands the wise men an egg and asks "What came first; The hen, or the egg?". The wise start debating this until the King loses his patience and kicks them out.
- Memento MacGuffin: Sonja still has the golden heart locket her mother gave her as a child. She ends up giving it to the old lady who's actually her mother.
- Never My Fault: Played for sympathy. The King never admitted that he is the cause of the star's disappearance, but is clearly wracked with guilt over it.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Implied with the Jester. He always acts silly like a mere fool, but seems to know more about what is going on than he lets on. Notably, the play he organizes along with the Harlequin is practically a one-to-one with what actually happened.
- Rhymes on a Dime: Santa's helpers, offering suggestions to what Sonja should wish for, rhyme a list of things. Most of it translates poorly, but these lines work in English;Nisse 1: Gold in streams!Nisse 2: Beautiful dreams!
- Romanticism vs. Enlightenment: The King calls on the wisest men in the world to find the star, but it's only Sonja's pure heart that is up to the task.
- Running Gag: The Jester always breaks his lute or has it broken by someone else.
- Santa Claus: The man himself appears, albeit with some quirks that Americans might find weird but would not seem out of place to a Norwegian audience; He wears a hood instead of a hat, his workshop is in the wonderland woods instead of the north pole, his sleigh is drawn by a horse instead of reindeer, and his helpers are nisser (which are very common in Norway but not in America) instead of elves.
- Show Within a Show: The troubadors perform a play as a direct Shout-Out to the Trope Codifier, Hamlet. Like in the Shakespeare play, it recreates the events surrounding the Count's crimes, causing him to reveal himself (though at that point in time there is no other reason to suspect him, so no one does).
- Small Name, Big Ego: Played for Laughs. Ola, one of the cleaning staff, always refers to himself by immensely impressive-sounding titles.
- Shown Their Work: The King promises a reward of a hundred golden ducats to whoever finds the princess. Ducats were an originally Venezian coin, but were minted in Norway from 1660 to 1697.
- Standard Royal Court: The one seen in the film includes the royal family (including king, queen and princess, albeit the latter two disappear early on), a chief advisor doubling as Evil Chancellor, a court alchemist and astrologer, a Court Jester and some cleaning staff. There are also other nobles in the background, though none of them are named.
- The Stars Are Going Out: Well, one star in particular. After the loss of his child, the King curses the Yule Star, causing it to fade away. According to Santa, it remains where it has always been, but humans can't see it anymore.King: Accursed star! Disappear from my kingdom!
- Stealing the Credit: The Count makes sure to arrive at the court before Sonja to claim credit for the star's return. Thankfully, the crone arrives in time to set the record straight.
- Tempting Fate: The Harlequin claims that the story he's about to tell is completely true, and Heaven should strike him down if it's not. He is then hit by an apple thrown by someone in the crowd.
- Transmutation: The Count wonders if the court's Astrologer can transmute lesser metals into gold, though the Astrologer dismisses it as nonsense, having no interest in such pursuits. He later relents and tries to create a replacement star out of gold.
- Villainous Incest: The Count is the King's cousin, but he nevertheless asks for Gulltopp's hand in marriage.
- Villain Song: A rather unusual example, in that the villain doesn't actually sing himself, but rather the Harlequin does so while portraying him in a Show Within a Show.
- Witch Classic: The Crone takes afte the archetype, being an old, hunched-over lady with magical abilities. Unlike most examples, she is firmly on the side of good, and is actually Younger Than They Look, as her real identity is the Queen.
