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Beginning in the mid-1910s, actor and director Victor Sjöström created a series of features that were landmarks of both Swedish and international cinema. Prominent among these was The Outlaw and His Wife. While at moments the film may appear to be a routine melodrama, at the time of its release the mature approach towards the characters' psychological states and the stunning location photography were groundbreaking. The locations, photographed by pioneer cameraman Julius Jaenzon, are striking not only for their beauty, but also the unique role they play in the characters' lives. The mountains dominate their existence, and ultimately, it is nature that has control over whether they live or die. Among the more stirring moments are Ejvind's heartstopping fall from a cliff, the sequence where Bjorn's posse catches up with the fugitives, and Halla and her child are forced to the edge of the cliff, and the climactic starvation sequence that concludes with a startling final shot. The acting is filled with histrionics, but does have its moments of subtlety and insight, and if The Outlaw and His Wife has not entirely aged gracefully, its importance to the development of filmmaking also remains evident.