Dreyer Retro Continues

FLESH AND SOUL

Flesh and Soul: The Films of Cark Theodor Dreyer, a series of the Danish Master’s works from the silent era to his latest in the 60’s as presented by the Cinematheque Ontario continues.

Below are capsule reviews of two superb films that will be screened soon.

Most works are seldom seen in North America.  The silent ones are presented with live piano accompaniment – which alone is quite the experience.

GERTRUD (Denmark 1964) ****
(Screening Mar 10)

Unfaithful wife leaves her husband and starts an affair that still leaves her unsatisfied.  GERTRUD is infidelity, done Danish Dreyer style.  In this tale of sex and romance, there is no nudity, cursing or explicit behaviour.  Instead, Dreyer takes his audience into his world of long takes, lengthy conversations and hidden meanings between glances and conversation.  GERTRUD leaves husband Gustav to take a younger lover, the composer Jansson.  The confrontation scene between Gertrud and Gustav is priceless and compelling to experience.  Still, Dreyer elicits his audience’s sympathy for his young heroine – faults and all.  She is clearly older than one lover and younger than her previous.  Dreyer’s GERTRUD should be seen (and listened to) to be believed.

THE PARSON’S WIDOW (Sweden 1921 silent) *****
(Screening Feb 28)

The new parson got more than he bargained for.  After hilariously cheating his two competitors from the post, he finds that he has to wed the late parson’s old surviving wife, according to tradition.  Thus, he is unable to marry his true love which was the only reason he applied for the position – to win his engaged father’s approval – in the first place.  Looking sombre and classic, this is the wittiest and subtly funniest of the Dreyer films I have viewed thus far.  Shot in the ‘museum village’ in Norway, Dreyer captures all the gloom, desperation (and yes, humour) of a 17th century religious village with all its characters’ pent-up sexuality and hidden desires.  Never has so much information and entertainment been condensed into a silent movie of only 88 minutes.  The film gets better when the two lovers, disguised as siblings decide to murder off the old widow.