• Denmark
  • 1955
  • 125 minutes
  • Black and White
  • 1.33:1
  • Danish
  •  
  • Spine #126

A farmer’s family is torn apart by faith, sanctity, and love—one child believes he’s Jesus Christ, a second proclaims himself agnostic, and the third falls in love with a fundamentalist’s daughter. Putting the lie to the term “organized religion,” Ordet (The Word) is a challenge to simple facts and dogmatic orthodoxy. Layering multiple stories of faith and rebellion, Dreyer’s adaptation of Kaj Munk’s play quietly builds towards a shattering, miraculous climax.

Cast

Morten BorgenHenrik Malberg
Mikkel BorgenEmil Hass Christensen
Anders BorgenCay Kristiansen
Johannes BorgenPreben Leerdorff-Rye
Inger Mikkel’s wifeBirgitte Federspiel
Maren BorgenAnn Elisabeth Rud
Lilleinger Borgen Susanne Rud
Peter Skraedder Ejnar Federspiel
Kirstin Skraedder Sylvia Eckhausen
Anne SkraedderGerda Nielsen

Disc Features

  • New digital transfer, supervised by cinematographer Henning Bendtsen
  • Deleted footage of an interview from Torben Skjødt Jensen’s documentary Carl Th. Dreyer—My Métier, with actress Birgitte Federspiel
  • Stills gallery
  • Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition

Film Essays

Carl Th. Dreyer

By Armond WhiteAugust 20, 2001

Before Lars von Trier, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman, Robert Bresson . . . Read more »


Film Essays

Thumbnail_ordet_feature_current

Ordet

By Chris FujiwaraAugust 20, 2001

The strangeness of Ordet is something that no number of viewings, God willing, will rub off. I . . . Read more »

Video



Video


Film Essays

Carl Th. Dreyer

By Armond WhiteAugust 20, 2001

Before Lars von Trier, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman, Robert Bresson . . . Read more »


Film Essays

Thumbnail_ordet_feature_current

Ordet

By Chris FujiwaraAugust 20, 2001

The strangeness of Ordet is something that no number of viewings, God willing, will rub off. I . . . Read more »