Plot Summary

Miss Julie centers on Julie, a young woman born into a Swedish aristocratic family, who feels increasingly suffocated by the rigid traditions and moral expectations imposed by her social class. On a fateful Midsummer’s Eve, driven by restlessness and a quiet urge to rebel, she joins a celebration held by the household servants—an impulsive act that symbolically crosses the invisible yet deeply entrenched boundaries governing her world.

During the gathering, Julie becomes drawn to John, her father’s valet, whose intelligence and ambition set him apart from the other servants. John, in turn, is captivated by Julie’s daring behavior and emotional volatility. Their interaction is charged with tension, heightened by the presence of John’s fiancée Kathleen, whose own life reflects the emotional stagnation and unfulfilled promises typical of her position within the household.

As Julie and John give in to their forbidden attraction, what begins as an act of mutual curiosity and defiance escalates into a psychologically intense struggle. Their relationship exposes the fragile balance of power shaped by class, gender, and social hierarchy. Each interaction deepens the emotional conflict, revealing how desire can both liberate and destroy when it clashes with deeply rooted social structures.

Through its claustrophobic setting and emotionally raw dialogue, Miss Julie delivers a stark and intimate tragedy. The film examines how personal longing collides with inherited roles and societal expectations, ultimately portraying the devastating consequences of crossing boundaries in a world governed by rigid class divisions and unequal power.