BFI Top 50: Gertrud, released in 1964 and directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer

What I know going in

I know the film mainly concerns the romantic issues faced by the title character. I have never seen a Dreyer film before, but I know his style is very austere, and he is famous for his use of long takes in cinema.

Immediate Reaction

Gertrud is perhaps the most minimal and still film I have ever watched. Dreyer basically jettison’s every element of film that he deems unnecessary or unimportant. I imagine if someone had interviewed Dreyer before starting the film, he would have answered their questions in the following manner. How many locations are needed? – 3 or 4. What should the set design look like and how decorated should each room be? – Incredibly minimal and bare (the most significant set dressing is a plain mirror with two candles). How much should the camera move and how many cuts should there? – The camera should remain completely still or move incredibly slowly. There should only be 89 cuts (with the average being around 5 or 6 hundred). What about dialogue? – It should be incredibly, to the point, and all extraneous speech or small talk should be removed. What about the actors, how should they behave? – The actors should be nearly motionless, not look at each other, and serve as a delivery device for the dialogue.

I did not really get much out of the main performances. Like I said earlier, the actors don’t really look at each other when speaking, which made all of the interactions feel very unnatural. In addition, the actors mainly sit still and if they do move, it feels like they are walking in slow-motion. The dialogue and acting is also very stiff and I never really felt much emotion poking through. Honestly, the moving didn’t do much for me visually either. While I did find some weird hypnotic fascination in the glacial pace of the film, I felt that the narrative presented in the film would have been equally effective as a radio presentation or a play. Therefore, I am not sure if this really is a great film. If the majority of the experience is not conveyed visually, does that make it a terrible a film (a medium whose main advantage is its visual nature)? Unfortunately, I don’t feel like I am equipped to answer that question. I will probably have to reevaluate it after going through some of the supplemental materials on the disc and reading other reviews.

One interesting aspect of the film is its attitude toward the female protagonist. Portrayals of uncompromising women, unconcerned with the opinions of their male counterparts, are rare even today. Gertrud holds her belief in love to such a high regard that she is unwilling to give her husband and former lover a second chance. Once she learns that Jansson is not fully committed to her, she gives him an ultimatum: devote himself to her or leave altogether. While some might consider her brittle, she is probably one of the strongest woman ever portrayed in a film. With the title character, Dreyer was able to craft one of the finest feminist films ever.

Further thoughts

I have enjoyed reading analyses about the film. Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote an excellent essay detailing the similarities between Gertrud and Dreyer’s own life (similarities that are not necessarily immediately apparent). There is an interesting parallel between Gertrud’s uncompromising quest for love and the complete dedication Dreyer showed in this film. No matter what insults can be thrown at the film (it’s too slow, the characters are not relatable) it is unquestionably Dreyer’s vision. I could not imagine any studio wanting to make a film like Gertrud. It is also an incredibly singular film. I cannot think of a single film that takes a cue from r. There are certainly period drama still being made today, but I have not seen a single one that features the intense stillness, contemplative nature, and graceful quietude of Gertrud. While I may not have enjoyed Dreyer’s final film I can say I will probably never see anything like it again.

Why is it on the list?

Again, I don’t think Getrud is an incredibly influential film. I am very curious of seeing the other works in Dreyer’s filmography to see how the compare to Gertrud. Part of me wonders if Gertrud was simply included ensure that Dreyer was simply well-represented on the list. I would like to revisit my opinions after seeing other Dreyer films and maybe re-watching this film again.