#126: DREYER, Carl Th.: Ordet (1955)

CARL THEODOR DREYER BOX SET {Spine #124}

DREYER, Carl Th. (Denmark)

Ordet [1955]

Spine #126
DVD
OOP

A farmer's family is torn apart by faith, sanctity, and love — one child believes he's Jesus Christ, a second proclaims himself agnostic, and the third falls in love with a fundamentalist's daughter. Putting the lie to the term "organized religion," Ordet (The Word) is a challenge to simple facts and dogmatic orthodoxy. Layering multiple stories of faith and rebellion, Dreyer's adaptation of Kaj Munk's play quietly builds towards a shattering, miraculous climax.

125 minutes
Black & White

Monaural

in Danish

1:33:1 aspect ratio

Criterion Release 2001

Director/Writers

From the play by Kaj Munk.

Carl Th. Dreyer was 66 when he wrote and directed Ordet.

Other Dreyer films in the Collection:

#706: Master Of The House (1925)
#62: The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (1928)
#437: Vampyr (1932)
#125: Day Of Wrath (1943)
#127: Gertrud (1964)

The Film

Ordet hooks you from the first shot.

• The cinematography (Henning Bendtsen, John Carlsen & Erik Wittrup Willumsen — like the rest of the cast and crew — uncredited!) is exquisite.
• Dreyer — in his fifth decade as a director — is supremely confident in every aspect of making great cinema. To refer to Ordet as a slow film doesn’t do justice to the idea of having space around the everyday living of lives … it is as naturalistic as it is theatrical.
• Morten Borgen (Henrik Malberg) is terrific as the grandfather. In fact, Munk actually wrote the role with this actor in mind.
• (Munk was martyred by the Nazis in 1944 for preaching against collaborating with the enemy. At several points in the film, the crude cross where he is buried can be seen.)
• Mikkel Borgen (Emil Hass Christensen) is handsome and terrific as the non-believer of the family. His faith is only restored by a miracle, which — as the good doctor (Henry Skjær) says — are merely the workings of modern science …
• Johannes Borgen (Preben Lerdorff Rye) believes he is Jesus Christ. He wanders around in a daze through the first 7/8ths of the film, as if he took one too many morphine pills.
• He disappears from the family, and their search is punctuated by several horizontal wipes — the only real filmic punctuation in this movie.
• Anders Borgen (Cay Kristiansen) is somewhat of a cipher, but his character is important to the plot — thin though it may be …
• Inger, Mikkel’s wife (Birgitte Federspiel) is the real special find here. She is the most dynamic character — the only one able to stand up to Grandfather, and the only person for whom her husband, Mikkel, can summon up any faith (until it’s nearly too late) …
• Peter Skraedder (Ejnar Federspiel) is played by Birgitte’s real-life father. Dreyer had to get him used to sitting cross-legged for long periods of time.
• Birgitte was actually pregnant during the shoot; gave birth and allowed Dreyer to record the sounds of her labor for the actual soundtrack — an unexpected dose of realism injected into an all-too-real situation.
• Johannes has gone mad from reading Kierkegaard, a line of dialogue that always got a big laugh in Danish cinemas.
• Sound design: the cold Nordic wind, constantly blowing …

Film Rating (0-60):

57

The Extras

The Booklet

Six-page wraparound with an essay by Chris Fujiwara.

“The strangeness of Ordet is something that no number of viewings, God willing, will rub off. I want to stress this strangeness. That Ordet is a great film, one of the greatest ever made, only a rash or foolish person will deny. But even less than with other great films can we afford to let the category of greatness limit our response, because Ordet demands more from us, and has more to give, than almost any other film”

Commentary

None.

Deleted footage

Of an interview from Torben Skjødt Jensen’s documentary Carl Th. Dreyer — My Métier (1995) {Spine #128}, with actress Federspiel.

Dreyer went shopping with her for stockings — providing the opportunity for director and actress to get to know each other.

Stills gallery

Extras Rating (0-40):

35

57 + 35 =

92

By Director
By Spine #