Review of Ordet (1955) by Sergio M — 08 Jan 2010
A thoughtful, austerely effective drama of faith in a Danish farm village, directed with simple skill and care by Carl Dreyer. If the particulars of the arguing branches of Christianity ("bright, happy" vs.
"cold, gloomy") are of fleeting importance, the haunting case of Johannes, who believes he is Jesus and rails against the faithless modern world, is affecting and given weight by Preben Lerdorff Rye's fine performance.
Henrik Malberg, as the old patriarch struggling under the weight of his family's collapse, is remarkable, though the Danish Oscars went to Emil H. Christensen, as his atheist son, and Birgitte Federspiel, as his warm-hearted daughter-in-law.
Prepare for Dreyer's deliberate pacing, and the occasional heavy-handedness of the script, and the film's virtues will make themselves felt.
This review of Ordet (1955) was written by Sergio M on 08 Jan 2010.
Ordet has generally received very positive reviews.
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