An elderly ferryman gets called one night to take a passenger dressed all in black. The passenger stares intently at the ferryman, and the elder man faints to his death. Time passes. A woman, skittish of lawmen, arrives in the village. In need of work, she takes over the ferrying duties. One night she saves a wounded man. Soon after, the stranger in black from the beginning visits the village.
Some of the other comments have observed a stylistic connection to Dreyer's Vampyr. This is true to an extent, although Fritz Lang's Destiny, with its protagonist confronting Death, is an equally valid comparison. Ferryman Maria is a more populist work than either of these. This might explain why it has been somewhat forgotten.
For the first half, Ferryman Maria has a slow, rustic feel which makes for less than stirring viewing. The film picks up when Death comes to town. In addition, the film is given a major boost by the setting and the photography. The film looks to have been filmed on location. The cinematography gives the story a timeless quality. This is especially true of the rousing, faith based climax. This helps to make Ferryman Maria a moderately entertaining fantasy.
