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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Ordet (The Word) is a Danish film directed in 1955 by Carl Theodore Dreyer. It was adapted from the 1925 play by Danish playwright and Lutheran pastor Kaj Munk. Ordet is set in a spiritually divided community and deals with faith and the belief in miracles. Dreyer is regarded as one the truly great directors of all time, with a conviction to his art, matched by very few other directors. `Ordet' was the only film he made in the 1950s, twelve years after `Day Of Wrath' (1943) in ten years before his final film `Gertrude' (1965). The lighting in Ordet is simply exquisite and the cinematography by Henning Bendtsen is remarkable. Henning would go on to shoot `Gertrude' also and later `Europa' (1991) for Lars Von Trier. Lars Von Trier is a huge fan of Dreyer, evidence of which can be seen in `Breaking The Waves' (1996) that featured similar themes. If you're serious about cinema then this is a film that needs to be seen. I can't recommend this more highly than to say that this is in my top 10 favourite films ever made up there with the work of Bergman, Antonioni, Ozu, Fellini, Bresson and Cocteau.
26 of 29 people found the following review helpful
...the synopsis on the back of the dvd reveals the ending! Basically, this is a two hour film that climaxes in a dramatic final scene. Problem is, the dvd back cover pretty much reveals everything about the plot. I am a fan of Dreyer's work and this is an excellent dvd in many other ways but I felt disappointed watching it as I knew exactly what was coming, so the film lost a lot of it's power. If you buy this dvd, I'd suggest not reading the notes until after viewing. Hope this helps your enjoyment of the film!
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Dreyer comes as a revelation.Set in 1920s Denmark centred on the Borgen family farm. Within one family we have variations of belief. The stern paterfamilias,Morten Borgen, who's own belief is of a life-affirming Christianity of the mainstream. His eldest son,Mikkel is a humanist agnostic.His wife Ingers, is a true believer who hopes she can lead her husband back to the faith.Then there is Anders,who has fallen in love with Anne a neighbour's daughter from a stricter fundamentalist sect.However Johannes is seen preaching to nature outside in the dunes and grasses.He has become mentally deranged after reading Kierkegaard while training as a Pastor.He clearly upsets his family wandering as he does in and out of rooms and touched by his pure incantatory faith.He observes others' loss of faith as he passes them. He tells the Pastor he is Jesus of Nazareth.The Pastor asks how he can prove it as he comes across as somewhat sceptical.Johannes is dismayed at the state of the state church which cannot believe in miracles. Peter the fundamentalist does not want Anders to marry his daughter and Morten being wealthier,is so put out by this he pays Peter a visit to have it out with him with Anders.Peter and Morten fight and Peter wishes upon Morten a shocking event to wake him up. The shock comes as his daughter-in-law,-shown earlier to be the hub of the farmstead,ministering to all the family members care with a gentle,caring,compassionate disposition- has a premature delivery and loses her baby son.She also loses her life after a deterioration. The beliefs that people hold do not unite them.
Johannes thinks it a disgrace that nobody wished Inger to come to life. He is led by the hand of his neice who literally believes he can do the impossible and perform a miracle in a mysterious climax.Johannes has a miraculous return to sanity, instead of believing he is Jesus Christ he invokes Jesus Christ over the dead body. I wont give away the ending:it's something the spectator has to see themselves in order to believe it.The camera is moving all the time between people,diagonally,up and down,across the cabin floor and from scene to scene and room to room.There is a complex combination of rhythms, from the gliding camera right to the way the lines are read.The camera tracks and pans each character at a distance.There is continuous,flowing,horizontallygliding movement.Every character has their distinctive walk and speech and facial expression.Only when Johannes recognizes his delusion does he receive spiritual power,who seems to be given the 'word'that can bring the dead alive.Cinematic illusion makes us believe the unbelievable. The quality of the whole mise-en-scene gives a larger than life transcendence to this group of slow moving and slow talking actors. Based on a play by Munk( a playwright and country priest) killed by the Nazis due to his living and dying by the 'word'(ordet).
Johannes thinks it a disgrace that nobody wished Inger to come to life. He is led by the hand of his neice who literally believes he can do the impossible and perform a miracle in a mysterious climax.Johannes has a miraculous return to sanity, instead of believing he is Jesus Christ he invokes Jesus Christ over the dead body. I wont give away the ending:it's something the spectator has to see themselves in order to believe it.The camera is moving all the time between people,diagonally,up and down,across the cabin floor and from scene to scene and room to room.There is a complex combination of rhythms, from the gliding camera right to the way the lines are read.The camera tracks and pans each character at a distance.There is continuous,flowing,horizontallygliding movement.Every character has their distinctive walk and speech and facial expression.Only when Johannes recognizes his delusion does he receive spiritual power,who seems to be given the 'word'that can bring the dead alive.Cinematic illusion makes us believe the unbelievable. The quality of the whole mise-en-scene gives a larger than life transcendence to this group of slow moving and slow talking actors. Based on a play by Munk( a playwright and country priest) killed by the Nazis due to his living and dying by the 'word'(ordet).
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A simple tale of country folk
I saw a brief clip of this film many years ago, and though I only saw a few minutes of it I was intrigued, and it stuck in my memory until I finally found out what it was, and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Rottweiller Swinburne
Whose Word?
Heretical as it may seem to some, I found myself at times wanting to administer a slap to more than a couple of the characters in this admittedly beautiful film by the Danish... Read more
Published 3 months ago by GlynLuke
Simply, one of the most Powerful Films, Ever.....
I watched this very late at night on UK TV, many years ago. I remember very clearly how it had a very moving, powerful climax. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Tim Kidner
A Miracle of a Film
This is a film of such rare distinction and transcendence that I have - as with other truly great artistic experiences to limit my re-engagement with it for fear of the... Read more
Published 5 months ago by John Humphreys
Finally!!
i have been looking for this film for almost 15 years..... i saw it on german tv once but did not remember the name of the film or the director..... Read more
Published 8 months ago by UnDaniTitled
"You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God".
But this is the case in this excellent movie, at less for me, people makes too much use and misuse of the name of God, and that's supposed a sin. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Carlos Vazquez Quintana
(In high voice) eyeee am Jeeesus Chreeeesty - gosh! I am!
In this laugh a minute film - There is - about a laugh a minute - there is more than a hint of 'the old gits'. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mario
Austere but Magnificent
Stark,deliberately paced religious tale from the prolific Dreyer(five films in fourty years)centres on the Borgen family who have largely been ostracised by the rest of the... Read more
Published on 6 Aug 2008 by Mark Pearce
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