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Ordet
1955 Drama
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Credits
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Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
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Script: Carl Theodor Dreyer, Kaj Munk
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Photo: Henning Bendtsen
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Music: Poul Schierbeck, Sylvia Schierbeck
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Cast: Henrik Malberg (Morten Borgen),
Emil Hass Christensen (Mikkel Borgen),
Preben Lerdorff Rye (Johannes Borgen),
Birgitte Federspiel (Inger,
Mikkel's Wife),
Cay Kristiansen (Anders Borgen),
Ejner Federspiel (Peter Petersen),
Gerda Nielsen (Anne Petersen),
Sylvia Eckhausen (Kirstin Petersen),
Hanne Agesen (Karen,
a Servant),
Ann Elisabeth Rud (Maren Borgen,
Mikkel's Daughter),
Ove Rud (Pastor),
Susanne Rud (Lilleinger Borgen,
Mikkel's Daughter),
Henry Skjær (The Doctor),
Edith Trane (Mette Maren)
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Country: Denmark
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Language: Danish
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Runtime: 126 min; B&W
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Aka: The Word; La Parole
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Summary
In a remote Danish village of the late 1920s, the patriarch Morten Borgen lives on his
substantial farm with his three sons – Mikkel, Johannes and Anders. After training
to be a pastor, Johannes came to believe he is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, but
the rest of his family think only that he is mad. The youngest son, Anders, is in
love with Anne, the daughter of a tailor, Peter Petersen, who belongs to a rival religious
movement. Although reluctant to the union, Morten tries to settle his differences
with Petersen, but the latter remains adamant: he will only allow Anne to marry Anders
if Morten joins his religious order, something which the old farmer will never concede.
That same night, Mikkel’s young wife Inger goes into labour. Although the new-born
child is lost, it looks at first as though Inger may be saved. No sooner has the
doctor departed than the young woman dies. The grief is worsened when Johannes
proclaims that all that was needed to save Inger was for someone to believe in him so
that he could resurrect the dead woman. Rejected, Johannes flees the homestead and
isn’t seen again – until the day of the funeral…
Review
The Danish born filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer is credited with directing two of the greatest
films in cinema history, and both are concerned with religion, or more specifically, the
power of faith. The first is
La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928), an extraordinarily
moving depiction of the trial and execution of Joan of Arc, regarded by many as the greatest
of all silent films. The second is Ordet
, which Dreyer made later in his career, based on a stage play by the Danish pastor
Kaj Munk (who was executed by the Nazis for refusing to honour Hitler above Christ).
Unmistakably a masterpiece, Ordet is not just
a beautifully composed piece of cinema, it is also a work that consumes its spectator,
in a way that only the greatest pieces of art can, offering an experience which cannot
leave him or her unchanged. Whatever your religious beliefs, this is a film that
will reach your innermost soul and cause you to think profoundly about the nature and
value of human existence. It is quite possibly the most intensely spiritual piece
of cinema ever made.
Dreyer’s cinema is noted for its rigorous simplicity – austere sets, limited number
of shots and minimalist cinematography. Yet this simplicity of style belies the
sophistication and impact which Dreyer manages to conjure through his artistic genius
and seemingly limitless humanity. There is scarcely a scene in Ordet
which fails to trigger an immediate and deep emotional response in the spectator,
although much of the credit for this should go to his impeccably chosen cast of actors.
From the angelic homebuilder Inger to the seemingly deranged Johannes, from the love-struck
Anders to the severe yet loving father Morten, each character in the film is masterfully
drawn and played with startling conviction. Even the most committed atheist cannot
fail to be moved by the final, exquisitely handled sequence which, whilst hard to take
seriously from a dramatic point of view, serves as an effective allegory for the power
of faith in overcoming the seemingly impossible. Ordet
is a truly remarkable film; one that everyone should see at least once –
not just because it is a great piece of cinematic art (which undoubtedly it is), but for
what it has to say about the very essentials of human experience – life, death, love and
faith.
© James Travers 2006
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