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The New Land (1972) movie poster

Timeline

The New Land (1972) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1972 · 202 mins · Swedish
Directed by
Jan Troell
Starring
Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Allan Edwall, Peter Lindgren, Pierre Lindstedt, Per Oscarsson

The film follows a Swedish immigrant family as they head west, confronting the harsh realities of frontier life in the latter half of the 19th century. Amid the Civil War, Native American uprisings, and the lure of California’s gold rush, they struggle to survive, adapt, and build a new future.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (15)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like The New Land
  5. 5 Every angle

15 events in order · contains spoilers

The New Land Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The New Land (1972) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Arrival in the Chisago Lakes area

    Karl Oskar Nilsson, his wife Kristina, and their three children arrive in the Chisago Lakes area after an arduous sea and overland journey from Sweden. They shelter in a rough shanty while Karl Oskar begins planning a permanent house for his family. The harsh climate and rough terrain set the tone for their early struggles in a new land.

    When
    1850
    Where
    Chisago Lakes area, Minnesota
  2. Building a homestead

    With the help of his younger brother Robert, Arvid, and Swedish neighbors, Karl Oskar clears pine trees and erects a small farmhouse. The work is grueling, but they manage to complete the structure before winter. The family begins to settle into a hard-won life on the frontier.

    When
    early 1850s
    Where
    Farmstead, Chisago Lakes area
  3. Housewarming and homesickness

    At the housewarming, the assembled Swedish settlers discuss their hopes and regrets about emigrating. Kristina, homesick and lonely, bursts into tears as she confronts the distance from Sweden. The moment marks a mix of joy and longing that threads through their new life.

    When
    early 1850s
    Where
    Farmstead, Chisago Lakes area
  4. Birth of Danjel

    Kristina, aided by Ulrika, gives birth to a son named Danjel, strengthening family bonds in a distant land. The event anchors their sense of continuity and hope for the future. The name Danjel also honors Kristina’s uncle, connecting past and present.

    When
    early 1850s
    Where
    Farmhouse
  5. Ulrika's marriage

    Ulrika later marries Pastor Jackson, a friendly Baptist minister from a nearby town. The marriage draws mixed reactions from pious Lutheran neighbors who fear religious differences. Karl Oskar and Kristina support Ulrika, choosing family unity over narrow judgments.

    When
    mid-1850s
    Where
    Nearby town
  6. Departure for the California Gold Rush

    Robert and Arvid head West to seek their fortune in the California Gold Rush. They leave Minnesota with mixed optimism and resolve, hoping the journey will change their fortunes. The departure signals the widening of their world beyond the settlement.

    When
    mid-1850s
    Where
    Minnesota to California
  7. Robert returns with banknotes

    After several years, Robert returns to Karl Oskar's farm carrying a stack of banknotes, claiming a share of the gold he found. He tells Karl Oskar that the money represents only a small portion of his true wealth. The moment hints at unresolved tensions between brothers.

    When
    late 1850s to early 1860s
    Where
    Minnesota
  8. Flashbacks of the Westward ordeal

    Flashbacks reveal the trials of Robert and Arvid: they become lost in the desert, Arvid dies after drinking poisoned water, and Robert is rescued by a Hispanic guide who later dies of yellow fever. The guide leaves Robert a sack of coins, a symbol of fortune that will haunt him later.

    When
    late 1850s–early 1860s
    Where
    Desert, Sierra Nevada
  9. Coins and the counterfeit crisis

    Back home, Robert exchanges his coins for lighter banknotes in a bid to cash in his wealth. Karl Oskar discovers the banknotes are worthless counterfeit pieces. The revelation shatters Robert’s pride and strains family ties.

    When
    early 1860s
    Where
    Minnesota
  10. Robert's death

    Overcome by illness and despair after the financial disappointment, Robert refuses medical help for a persistent cough and dies soon after. His death compounds the family’s sense of loss and misfortune. The Gold Rush dream that fueled his journey ends in tragedy.

    When
    early 1860s
    Where
    Karl Oskar farm, Minnesota
  11. Citizen and Civil War effort

    In the years that follow, Karl Oskar becomes an American citizen and wishes to volunteer for the Civil War, but his limp makes him ineligible. He remains on the farm, tending to his family as the nation confronts its upheavals. The moment underscores the personal limits imposed by injury in a time of national crisis.

    When
    1860s
    Where
    Minnesota
  12. Births and risks: Ulrika and Frank

    Kristina continues to endure the emotional toll of emigration, giving birth to two more children, Ulrika and Frank. A doctor warns that after so many births, another pregnancy could be fatal. Kristina accepts her fate with quiet faith while seeking to protect her growing family.

    When
    circa 1860s
    Where
    Farmhouse
  13. Dakota War erupts; Danjel killed; Kristina falls ill

    The Dakota War of 1862 erupts, driving settlers from their lands. Uncle Danjel is killed during the upheaval, and Kristina falls gravely ill, with Karl at her bedside as the danger intensifies. The family endures yet another blow while the frontier tears itself apart.

    When
    1862
    Where
    Minnesota frontier
  14. Mankato executions and aftermath

    As the uprising is quelled, President Lincoln approves the mass execution of 38 Dakota warriors at Mankato. The event casts a long shadow over the community and deepens the sorrow already weighing on Karl Oskar. The tragedy marks a grim chapter in the settlers' struggle for belonging in a new land.

    When
    1862
    Where
    Mankato, Minnesota
  15. Karl Oskar's death and lasting memory

    Grief-stricken, Karl Oskar withdraws, and the area around him fills with a new wave of Swedish settlers while his children grow more Americanized. He dies on 7 December 1890, leaving behind a family that is more integrated into American life. A neighbor, Axel J. Andersson, writes to Karl Oskar’s sister Lydia in Sweden, and a family photograph of Karl with his descendants becomes the enduring memory of his life.

    When
    7 December 1890
    Where
    Minnesota

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:20

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Timeline questions answered

The New Land Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The New Land (1972): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Kristina break down in tears at the housewarming?

Kristina is overwhelmed by profound homesickness. Though she and Karl Oskar have built a new home, she is grieving everything she left behind in Sweden, her homeland, family, and familiar life. The housewarming gathering, meant to celebrate their achievement, instead reminds her of the immense distance between herself and everything she once knew, causing her to burst into tears.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the voyage, Kristina repeatedly asked if they could turn back, foreshadowing her deep struggle with leaving Sweden.

  • kristina
  • homesickness
  • housewarming
  • sweden
  • emigration
Q2

Why do Karl Oskar and Kristina support Ulrika's marriage to Pastor Jackson?

Karl Oskar and Kristina choose acceptance over division. Despite the Lutheran community debating whether to shun Ulrika for marrying a Baptist minister, they believe family unity matters more than religious differences. They welcome Ulrika and her new husband with quiet warmth, standing by her even though other settlers disapprove.

Foreshadowing: This decision reflects the family's own experience of being outsiders in a new country, making them sympathetic to Ulrika's choice.

  • ulrika
  • pastor jackson
  • marriage
  • religion
  • lutheran
  • baptist
Q3

Why does Robert refuse medical help when he gets sick?

Robert's refusal stems from despair and pride. After discovering his banknotes are worthless counterfeit, losing the fortune he believed he'd earned in California, he is devastated. Combined with grief over losing Arvid and the Hispanic guide who rescued him, he loses will to recover. His stubbornness leads him to reject treatment for a persistent cough, and he dies soon after.

Foreshadowing: Robert's earlier pride about finding wealth greater than money hints at his inability to accept failure.

  • robert
  • death
  • medical help
  • cough
  • despair
  • gold rush
Q4

What happened to the money Robert brought back from California?

Robert's banknotes were worthless. After the Hispanic guide entrusted him with a sack of coins, Robert exchanged them for lighter banknotes in a distant town, only to discover they were worthless counterfeit. This financial disaster shattered his pride and contributed to his decline and death.

Foreshadowing: Robert telling Karl Oskar that the money represented only a small portion of his true wealth hints that something is amiss.

  • robert
  • banknotes
  • counterfeit
  • coins
  • california
  • gold rush
Q5

Why can't Karl Oskar volunteer for the Civil War?

Karl Oskar is ineligible due to a limp. Though he becomes an American citizen and wishes to serve, his physical disability prevents him from enlisting. He remains on the farm while the nation confronts its upheaval, forced to watch the war as a non-combatant.

  • karl oskar
  • civil war
  • citizen
  • limp
  • volunteer
Q6

How does the Dakota War of 1862 affect the family?

The Dakota War devastates the family. During the conflict, Kristina's uncle Danjel, his eldest son, and his pregnant daughter-in-law are all killed. Kristina herself falls gravely ill during the upheaval. The tragedy adds to the family's累积 grief and marks a grim chapter in their struggle to belong in the new land.

  • dakota war
  • 1862
  • uncle danjel
  • death
  • sioux
  • minnesota
Q7

Why does Kristina keep having children despite medical warnings?

Kristina accepts her fate with quiet faith. After giving birth to Ulrika and Frank, a doctor warns that another pregnancy could kill her given how many children she's already borne. Yet she continues to embrace motherhood, seeing it as her purpose and accepting the risks as part of her lot in life.

  • kristina
  • pregnancy
  • children
  • births
  • doctor warning
Q8

What causes Arvid's death during the Gold Rush journey?

Arvid dies from drinking poisoned water in the desert. During the trek west with Robert, they become lost in harsh desert conditions. Arvid drinks from a contaminated water source and dies, leaving Robert to continue alone until he is rescued by a Hispanic guide.

  • arvid
  • death
  • desert
  • poisoned water
  • gold rush
Q9

Why does Karl Oskar frequently visit Kristina's grave?

Karl Oskar grieves deeply after losing his wife. After Kristina's death, he withdraws into solitude and regularly visits her graveside, a quiet lake-side place that evokes their shared Swedish homeland. The visits represent his enduring connection to his wife and his sense of loss as he ages.

  • karl oskar
  • kristina
  • grave
  • visit
  • grief
Q10

What happens at Mankato after the Dakota War?

After the Dakota War is quelled, President Abraham Lincoln approves the mass execution of 38 Dakota warriors at Mankato, Minnesota. This becomes a defining and grim moment in Minnesota history, casting a long shadow over the community and deepening the sorrow already weighing on settlers like Karl Oskar.

  • lincoln
  • dakota
  • execution
  • mankato
  • 1862
  • 38 warriors
Q11

How does the family change by the time Karl Oskar dies?

By Karl Oskar's death in 1890, the family has gradually become more American and farther from their Swedish roots. His children and grandchildren grow up assimilated into American life, speaking less Swedish. A new wave of Swedish settlers arrives with their language and culture, but Karl Oskar's own family has integrated into the broader American community.

  • americanization
  • family
  • swedish
  • language
  • children
  • grandchildren
Q12

Who informs Karl Oskar's sister about his death?

Axel J. Andersson, a neighbor, writes to Karl Oskar's sister Lydia in Sweden to inform her of his death on December 7, 1890. The letter arrives with a family photograph showing Karl Oskar surrounded by his many children and grandchildren, a tangible reminder of the family's endurance and the story of emigration.

  • axel j andersson
  • lydia
  • letter
  • death
  • sweden
  • sister

Movie threads

More Movies Like The New Land, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The New Land tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Slow burn melancholic historical epics like The New Land

Epic stories that use deliberate pacing to build a profound sense of loss and endurance. If you liked the deliberate, immersive pace and somber tone of The New Land, explore more movies like it. This thread features historical dramas with heavy emotional weight, slow pacing, and a focus on the gritty reality of building a life in a new world. Find similar films about immigration, frontier life, and enduring hardship.

  • melancholic
  • somber
  • wistful
  • enduring
  • gritty
  • reflective
  • Tone: melancholic, somber, reflective
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate, immersive
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often span years or decades, following characters as they confront the brutal realities of a new environment, historical conflict, or cultural displacement. The plot is driven by cumulative tragedy and quiet perseverance, building emotional impact steadily rather than through constant high drama. The journey is marked by profound loss, homesickness, and the ultimate cost of survival.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a similar viewing experience: they are emotionally heavy, deliberately paced, and tonally melancholic. They connect through their focus on historical authenticity, the intimate scale of epic struggles, and a bittersweet, reflective mood that lingers long after the film ends.

Bittersweet family survival sagas like The New Land

Stories where a family's endurance through hardship leaves a legacy scarred by loss. Looking for more movies like The New Land about a family's struggle to survive? This thread collects epic stories where families endure great hardship, loss, and historical upheaval. Discover similar dramas with bittersweet endings, heavy emotional themes, and a focus on the resilience and fractures within a family over time.

  • bittersweet
  • enduring
  • grief
  • somber
  • hopeful
  • resilient
  • Tone: bittersweet, heavy, enduring
  • Pacing: steady, episodic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a family through a series of major challenges—often environmental, economic, or societal—that test their bonds and resolve. Key characters may be lost, and dreams are inevitably reshaped by reality. The arc is defined by resilience in the face of cumulative tragedy, culminating in an ending that acknowledges both the success of their survival and the profound cost it entailed.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on the family as the emotional core of a survival story, their heavy emotional weight stemming from grief and loss, and their ultimately bittersweet conclusion. They resonate with viewers seeking deeply moving stories about endurance, legacy, and the complex price of building a new life.

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