Elvira Madigan

Hedvig Jensen (Pia Degermark), a slackrope dancer who performs as Elvira Madigan, wants a life beyond her stepfather's travelling circus. She finds it with Sixten Sparre (Thommy Berggren), a married Swedish officer with two children who deserts the army to run away with her. Bo Widerberg follows them as Sixten, now unemployable, learns what he has given up, while Hedvig keeps hold of the only freedom she has ever chosen.