| Ordet | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Carl Theodor Dreyer |
| Produced by | Carl Theodor Dreyer |
| Written by | Carl Theodor Dreyer Kaj Munk |
| Starring | Henrik Malberg Emil Hass Christensen Cay Kristiansen Preben Lerdorff Rye |
| Music by | Poul Schierbeck |
| Cinematography | Henning Bendtsen |
| Editing by | Edith Schlüssel |
| Release date(s) | Denmark: 10 January 1955 United States: 15 December 1957 |
| Running time | 126 min. |
| Country | Denmark |
| Language | Danish |
Ordet [1] (English: The Word) is a 1955 Danish drama film, directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer. It is based on a play by Kaj Munk, a Danish pastor, first performed in 1932. The film was the winner of the Golden Lion at the 1955 Venice Film Festival, it was the only film by Dreyer that was both a critical and financial success.[1]
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The film centers around the family of Morten Borgen (Henrik Malberg), who is a prominent member of his rural, Danish community and patron of the local parish church. The devout widower Morten, patriarch of the family, has three sons. Mikkel (Emil Hass Christensen), the eldest, has no faith, but is happily married to the pious Inger (Birgitte Federspiel) and has two daughers with her. Johannes, who has lost his mind after studying Søren Kierkegaard, believes himself to be Jesus Christ and wanders the farm in his house coat condemning the age's lack of faith. The third and youngest son, Anders (Cay Kristiansen), wants to marry the daughter of Peter (Ejner Federspiel), a tailor who refuses the marriage because of the Borgens' religious beliefs.
The movie opens with Johannes sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night to preach to the sea the need for faith, the whole family waking up to find him. The next morning, Anders confesses that he loves Anne Petersen, the daughter of Peter the Tailor, to Mikkel and Inger. They agree to convince Morten to assent to the match. Later that morning, when most of the family is out of the house, the new village pastor visits the family, only finding Johannes home. Johannes condemns the minister almost immediately for his hypocrisy, taking the pastor's denial of the possibility of miracles as confirmation of his accusations. At coffee time, Inger attempts to convince Morten to allow Anders to marry Anne while Anders goes to Peter's home to ask him for her hand in marriage. Morten initially refuses, only changing his mind when he finds out Peter has refused the match with his daughter. Morten and Anders go to meet Peter in order to negotiate the betrothal.
Meanwhile, Peter is hosting a prayer meeting for a religious sect he leads. Morten and Anders arrive during the meeting and sit in the corner as the prayer meeting is concluded. Peter and Morten then sit alone at the table discussing the possibility of marrying their children, though Peter continues to refuse the marriage unless Morten and Anders join his sect. Morten, disgusted, refuses. Morten considers his religion (the Church of Denmark) to be about life and accuses Peter's faith (the 'Inner Mission') of being concerned with death. Just as Mikkel and Anders are about to leave, Mikkel receives a call announcing that Inger has gone into a difficult labor. Peter prays that Inger would die if it would convert Mikkel to his sect. Furious at Peter's hopes, Mikkel storms out with Anders and rushes home.
When Morten and Anders arrive home, Inger continues to suffer a very difficult labor. The doctor finally arrives, and though the child is stillborn, he is able to save Inger's life. While the doctor is with Inger, Johannes tells Inger's oldest daughter, Lilleinger, that Inger will die, but she will be raised back to life if the family has faith. However, he expresses doubt that the family will have faith when the time comes. He tucks Lilleinger into bed, who seems to express little doubt that what Joahnnes says it true. After stabilizing Inger, the doctor dismissively debates with the pastor whether his science is more important than the Morten's prayers in successfully saving Inger's life. The pastor again denies the possibility of miracles, insisting that science and medicine are to be credited. After they leave, Johannes upsets his father by telling him that death is nearby and will take Inger unless Morten has faith in him. As prophesied, Inger dies suddenly, the physician having left only moments before. Johannes offers to resurrect Inger, but cries out and faints in the process.
Soon after, Johannes goes missing and it is feared his life may also have ended. The family goes ahead with Inger's wake. While preparing to go to Inger's funeral, Peter realizes that he has wronged Morten terribly, and reconciles with him over Inger's open coffin, agreeing to permit Anna and Anders to marry. Johannes suddenly arrives just as the coffin is to be taken to the church. While the complete change of his expression and voice seems to imply that he has regained his sanity, he approaches Inger's coffin and proclaims that she can be raised from the dead if the family will only have faith and ask God to do so. Before the enraged pastor can step in, Lilleinger takes Johannes' hand and impatiently asks him to raise her mother from the dead. After praising her childlike faith, Johannes asks God to raise Inger, who begins to breathe and twitch in her coffin. Seeing what seems to be the miracle of resurrection, both Morten and Peter rejoice together in God's work, forgetting their religious differences. As Inger sits up, Mikkel embraces her and proclaims that he has found faith again, expressing belief that his stillborn son is with God.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Gerda Nielsen | Anne Petersen |
| Sylvia Eckhausen | Kirstin Petersen |
| Ejner Federspiel | Peter Petersen |
| Cay Kristiansen | Anders Borgen |
| Birgitte Federspiel | Inger Borgen |
| Emil Hass Christensen | Mikkel Borgen, her husband |
| Susanne Rud | Lilleinger Borgen, Mikkel's Daughter |
| Ann Elisabeth Rud | Maren Borgen, Mikkel's Daughter |
| Preben Lerdorff Rye | Johannes Borgen |
| Henrik Malberg | Morten Borgen |
| Ove Rud | Pastor |
| Henry Skjær | The Doctor |
| Edith Trane | Mette Maren |
| Hanne Agesen | Karen, A servant |
Kaj Munk's play I Begyndelsen var Ordet (In the Beginning was the Word) was written in 1925 and premiered in Copenhagen in 1932. Already the year before, however, Munk had himself finished a script for a film version, which he unsuccessfully tried to sell to the production company Nordisk Film. In 1943 a Swedish film version was made, directed by Gustaf Molander, which couldn't premiere in Denmark until after the war.[1]
For Dreyer's adaption, only one third of the original dialogue was used. Another difference is the play's possibility of Inger just appearing to be dead, while the film is very clear about the resurrection being a genuine miracle. The film was shot at the village Vedersø, where Munk had worked as a priest.[1]
The film premiered on 10 January 1955 at Dagmar Teatret in Copenhagen.[1] It has been released on DVD by The Criterion Collection with spine number 126, as part of a box set with the other Dreyer films Day of Wrath and Gertrud.[2]
It was among films honored with the 1956 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as the National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Film. At the 1955 Bodil Awards it won for Best Actor (Emil Hass Christensen), Best Actress (Birgitte Federspiel), and tied for Best Danish films. The film was also entered into the Venice Film Festival and won its highest prize, the Golden Lion. It is currently ranked as the number one most spiritually significant film of all time by Arts and Faith online community.
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