Based on the play Tyrannens fald by Svend Rindom, Master of the House is the story of a housewife who teams up with her maid on a revenge scheme towards her tyrannical husband who has made their life a living hell. Directed, edited, and art direction by Carl Theodor Dreyer and screenplay by Dreyer and Rindom, the film is a revenge film of sorts set in the domestic world where two women conspire to save their family from their bullish patriarch and teach him a lesson. Starring Johannes Meyer, Astrid Holm, Karin Nellemose, Clara Schonfeld, Mathilde Nielsen, Johannes Nielsen, Petrine Sonne, and Aage Hoffman. Master of the House is a riveting and witty film from Carl Theodor Dreyer.
The film follows a businessman who has lost his business as his frustrations would have him lash out at his wife and family as well as his former nanny who frequently visits as she and the wife conspire to get revenge on the man. It’s a film with a simple premise as it explores the idea of who controls the house as a man is wreaking havoc on his family as he tries to maintain his rule while being very cruel to his wife, three children, old nanny, and his mother-in-law who would also make a few visits. The film’s screenplay by Carl Theodor Dreyer and Svend Rindom has a unique structure that begins with the way Ida Frandsen (Astrid Holm) runs her household in doing all of the things a housewife does as she’s aided by her eldest daughter Karen (Karin Nellemose) who would help watch over her younger brother Frederick (Aage Hoffman) and the family baby. Yet, they are mistreated with some indifference by the patriarch Viktor (Johannes Meyer) who was a successful watchmaker until he lost everything as he just complains about everything around him and terrorizes everyone.
When his old nanny Mads (Mathilde Nielsen) would make her visits to help around the house, things would become more chaotic to the point that Ida’s mother Alvilda (Clara Schonfeld) decides to take Ida to her home away from Viktor who has become abusive. This would prompt Mads to do something big in the film’s second half as it relates to everything Viktor has done to Ida and the family where he would get some revelations about what his wife does while he’s often away at the bar or trying to find work. It does become a different film of sorts in terms of who is the master of the house as the script would become this kind of feminist film of sorts as Mads would have to go back to old tactics in the way she dealt with Viktor as a child.
Dreyer’s direction is definitely simple in its approach to the visuals as the camera throughout the film rarely moves except in scenes outside of the house or a camera tilt inside of the home. Much of the compositions has Dreyer use medium shots for much of the film to play into the sense of theatricality that is prevalent throughout the drama. Especially as he doesn’t go for any kind of close-ups as there are a few wide shots for scenes outside of the house but that is pretty much it as Dreyer is more about the way the household is run and what happens when Ida is out of the picture in running the household. Also serving as the film’s art director and editor, Dreyer’s approach to the sets would help create something that is intimate for the camera to capture as much coverage in its compositions without the need to move it in case a character goes from one room to another. Instead, he would cut to that person in the other room as his approach as an editor his also very straightforward. Even in his idea of humor which is very subtle as it showcases the humility that Viktor has to endure all because of his selfishness towards the people in his live. Overall, Dreyer creates a compelling and evocative film about a family patriarch getting his comeuppance from his wife and former nanny.
Cinematographer George Schneevoigt does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography as it features some unique shades of lighting for some of the interiors as well as going for something natural in the few exterior scenes in the film. The film’s reconstructed score by Gillian B. Anderson that is performed by pianist Sara Davis Buechner from its 2010 reissue is superb for its piano-based score that play into the style that was reminiscent of the music made during the silent film era with its array of moods and pieces that is played continuously.
The film’s amazing cast as it include some notable small roles from Petrine Sonne as a washer woman from the film’s second half, Johannes Nielsen as a doctor who would look over Ida, Aage Hoffman as Ida and Viktor’s son Frederik, and Clara Schonfeld as Ida’s mother Alvilda who is trying to help her daughter and the family as she would help Mads in her plan. Karin Nellemose is fantastic as Karen as Ida and Viktor’s daughter who tries to help her mother every way she can but also pities her father once she sees him try to adjust without his wife. Mathilde Nielsen is incredible as Mads as Viktor’s former nanny whose frequent visits to help the family has her seeing what Viktor has become where she decides to make him pay.
Astrid Holm is brilliant as Ida as a housewife who is mistreated, neglected, and overworked as someone that does love her husband but couldn’t take the abuse anymore as she goes along with Mads’ plan. Finally, there’s Johannes Meyer in a marvelous performance as Viktor Frandsen as an unemployed watchmaker who unravels in his lack of progress as he starts to vent his anger at his family including his wife where he would later endure a lesson in humility that would make him realize the abuse he has done to his wife and family.
Master of the House is an incredible film from Carl Theodor Dreyer. Featuring a great cast, a captivating story with proto-feminist ideas, gorgeous visuals, and amazing sets. It’s a silent film that is quite intriguing in its depiction of household life as well as the importance of a woman’s role in that household. In the end, Master of the House is a phenomenal film from Carl Theodor Dreyer.
Carl Theodor Dreyer Films: (The President) - (The Parson’s Widow) - Leaves from Satan's Book - (Once Upon a Time (1922 film)) - (Love One Another) - (Michael (1924 film)) - (Bride of Glomdal) – The Passion of Joan of Arc - Vampyr - Day of Wrath - (Two People) – Ordet - Gertrud
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the novel Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness! by Selma Lagerlof, Korkarlen (The Phantom Carriage) is the story of Death collecting souls as one of them is a troubled alcoholic and a nurse where the latter believes in redemption. Written for the screen, directed, and starring Victor Sjostrom, the film is a look into a man facing death as well as dealing with the awful things he created in his life. Also starring Hilda Borgstrom, Astrid Holm, and Tore Svennberg. Korkarlen is a dazzling yet harrowing film about death and redemption from Victor Sjostrom.
Set on one night on New Year’s Eve just hours before the New Year is to arrive, the film is about this very cruel alcoholic who finds himself meeting Death as he is forced to look at awful deeds he has done to his family. Even as he also has to deal with sympathetic nurse who tries to see the good in him as she is dying from the disease that he gave her as she is calling for him. It’s a film that explores the idea of death as well as redemption through the eyes of an abusive alcoholic whose refusal to be good or even see this dying nurse has him facing something that he might not be able to escape. Even as this nurse was someone who had been good to him by fixing his coat or to even have him reunite with his family but he always finds a way to make things worse through his own cruelty.
The film’s screenplay is separated into four parts as Victor Sjostrom uses that structure to play out the evolution of the character he plays in David Holm. A man who once had a good family live only to meet up with a bunch of hard-hitting drinkers including a man named Georges (Tore Svennberg) who would have him become an alcoholic. Much of the story is told in flashbacks where the narrative moves back and forth to David’s journey with Death who comes in the form of Georges who did die on New Year’s Eve as well as the story of the dying nurse Edit (Astrid Holm). Much of the first act explore David’s family life and his downfall while the second half is about how he met Edit exactly one year ago when he was drunk and needed a place to sleep. Edit’s act of kindness and the belief that there’s good in people would come at a terrible price though she still believes there is still good in David as Georges would force David to confront these sins as well as what Edit tried to do.
Sjostrom’s direction is quite entrancing in the way he presents the film in this grainy film stock with some monochrome coloring. Many of the compositions are quite straightforward in the way Sjostrom frames the actors in a scene or to play out some form of drama. What makes the film so enchanting is the way he presents the sequence about the story of Death as it’s told by David who is talking about a story Georges told him on the night he died. The images where it features people who die on New Year’s Eve are then collected by Death who appears in a very transparent carriage as if he’s from another world. It’s these visual effects that Sjostrom presents that adds this very ethereal quality to the film that also includes shots of David talking to Georges as Death while David’s body is lying beside him.
All of which would play into David’s fate as he is set to replace Georges in the role of Death where he has to play that role for an entire year. That sense of drama as well as suspense into some of the action that David did including an intense flashback scene of how he terrorized his wife (Hilda Borgstrom) becomes crucial to what his fate might be. Yet, there’s the character of Edit who also plays a role of David’s fate as she is lying on her deathbed who does plea to Death about giving him one more chance. Even as its climax would have David realize the fate he would play and thinking about those he had hurt. Overall, Sjostrom creates a truly exhilarating yet mesmerizing film about death and redemption.
Cinematographer Julius Jaenzon does fantastic work with the film‘s photography as it has this air of grain while using colored filters to play out some of the entrancing images of the film. Art directors Alexander Bako and Axel Esbensen do amazing work with the set pieces from the bars that David goes to as well as the design of the phantom carriage. The film’s music by Matti Bye (from its 1998 restoration) is brilliant for its brooding yet intoxicating score that features some playful themes but also some ominous orchestral cuts to play out the drama and suspense of the film.
The film’s cast includes some notable small performances from Tor Weijden as a friend of Edit’s in Gustafsson who tries to find David, Lisa Lundholm as Edit’s fellow nurse Maria, Concordia Selander as Edit’s mother, Einar Axelsson as David’s brother in a flashback sequence, and Hilda Borgstrom in a wonderful performance as David’s tormented wife Anna. Tore Svennberg is great as Georges as a man who is the life of the party until he takes on the role of Death where he reveals the fate that David would play. Astrid Holm is radiant as Edit as this very kindly nurse whose act of good deeds has her dealing with David’s cruelty no matter how harsh he can be as Holm just adds that nice balance of goodness to her role. Finally, there’s Victor Sjostrom in an incredible performance as David Holm as Sjostrom brings a raucous charm to his role as a cruel drunk that is balanced by his fierce presence as well as the way he responds to the ills that he created as it’s a very intense yet powerful performance from Sjostrom.
Korkarlen is an outstanding film from Victor Sjostrom that explores the world of death and redemption. The film isn’t just one of the great silent films of the era but also a very entrancing film that explores the world of death and how a man deals with cruelty of his deeds. Even as he also finds an idea of redemption through the grace of a kind nurse. In the end, Korkarlen is a magnificent film from Victor Sjostrom.
© thevoid99 2013
Written, directed, and starring Benjamin Christensen, Haxan is a documentary film about the world of witchcraft and all of its superstitions through re-creations and all sorts of images. The film is based on Christensen’s studies of the Malleus Maleficarum that showcases this unique world of dark magic and mysticism. Also starring Clara Pontoppidan, Oscar Stribolt, Astrid Holm, and Maren Pedersen. Haxan is a disturbing yet visually-spellbinding film from Benjamain Christensen.
The film is essentially a study of witchcraft throughout the years dating back from the first age of civilization to the early 1920s with its large focus set entirely in the 15th Century. Told in seven chapters, Benjamin Christensen explores the evolution of witchcraft and Satanic rituals by beginning the first chapter with elaborate images of Hell along with still photos of book illustrations about the fear that has captivated civilization in those early years. The rest of the film is told in dramatic recreations about the paranoia of witchcraft in the 15th Century and how the Inquisition tried to deal with this rise through torture devices, forced confessions, and stake burnings. The final part revolves around the exploration of hysteria among young woman and how they could be connected with the behaviors of witches in the past.
In these dramatic re-creations, Christensen presents something where he reveals about the sense of fear and paranoia that occurs in these stories about witchcraft where Satan would make an appearance every now and then. It also shows these very disturbing images of what women would do in the presence of Satan where they would embrace him or fear him. Then comes the behavior of the Inquisition who do whatever they can to press these women into confessing about witches and those who are associated. It is revealed that more than 8 million people were killed in these terrible time.
Christensen’s direction is entrancing for the way he presents the visuals the use of red and blue tints along with these dazzling images in the film’s first part where it includes small diagrams and moving images that plays out to the world itself and where Heaven and Hell is. The rest of the film has these unique images though the camera rarely moves. Still, Christensen captures a lot of intensity in the drama along with some mesmerizing images of witches flying over a town in dissolved images or a woman being tempted by the devil as her gold is taken in stop-motion animation format.
Through inter-title cards giving lots of exposition about these events and moments along with dramatic moments, it does establish a world where things are out of control and women are the victims of these ludicrous accusations. The film’s final part that is set in the 1920s reveal a lot about the way women suffer from hysteria and its relations to the way women behaved during the witch hunts of the 15th Century. It has Christensen explaining, through inter-title cards, about these similarities as well as how much time has changed since. Overall, Christensen creates an eerie yet fascinating docu-drama on witchcraft.
Cinematographer Johan Ankerstjerne does excellent work with the color-tinted photography to create an atmosphere for the different settings of the film from the orange-red daytime scenes to the more bluish scenes at night. Editor Edla Hansen does wonderful work with the editing to create some stylish cuts to play out the drama as well as its suspenseful moments. Art director Richard Louw does superb work with the design of the art collage that is created in the first part along with set pieces to showcase the world of the 15th Century. The film’s music by Launy Grondahl, Emil Reesen, and Matti Bye is terrific for its piano-driven score that is mostly playful at times but also eerie to create an air of intrigue and suspense that occurs throughout the film.
The film’s cast is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features noteworthy performances from Tora Teje as a modern hysteric, Oscar Stribolt as a fat monk, Clara Pontoppidan as a troubled nun, Astrid Holm as a housewife accused of witchcraft, Maren Pedersen as a old witch who is pushed to the edge by the Inquisition, and Benjamin Christensen as Satan.
Haxan is a mesmerizing yet unsettling docu-drama from Benjamin Christensen. It is a truly an intriguing film that explores the world of witchcraft as well as the sense of paranoia that people have that is quite relevant in the 21st Century. It’s also a film that has amazing visuals for the way it presents 15th Century life in the era of witch-burnings and such. In the end, Haxan is a remarkable film from Benjamin Christensen.
© thevoid99 2012
