Martha

Why sailors hate stokers? Watch this film and come out a lot wiser.

What makes a man great? A secretary with a long list of "friendships" behind her (sheiks, scout leaders, gardeners even a rear admiral). Behind every great man there is......

Everybody in the Danish maritime society know this film - some even know the dialogue by heart.

It hits the mark brilliantly and to correct the former commentator; the actors were not acting drunk - they were completely s...faced during the shooting of the party scene. The proud owner of the ship Mr. O. P. Andersen is a polite parody of the founder of Maersk Line Mr. A. P. Moeller. Especially the scene where the unfortunate crew is forced to eat porridge for breakfast is a loving comment to the food on board Mr. Moeller's ships.

The film is a treasure when it comes to the little details in life on board a real steamship, where the difference in attitude between deckhands and grease monkeys makes for some real gems.

Martha is even an integral part of any Danish naval ship's battle equipment - damn the torpedoes; Martha's on the video!!

Just to give an idea of how important the film is among the Danish seagoing society the owners of a bar i Svendborg - a town with proud maritime traditions - have made it a tradition to show Martha (original copy - no video here) to all the students from the different maritime schools in the area at a local cinema once a year. In order to give just the right feeling, the stokers sit to port and the sailors take up the starboard side of the cinema - in the middle you'll find the beer, because as the Mr. Watson so rightly utters: "You don't want us to starve?"

In short, they don't make 'em like that anymore.

As previous commentators have so rightfully pointed out, Martha is the true cult-movie of the merchant marine... but not only in Denmark. It has had - and still has - a tremendous impact in Sweden as well, with Martha-societies arranging Martha-evenings (complete with a showing of the film itself and a nice dinner with nothing missing except perhaps the Brottsjösill. The (Swedish, in fact) traditional Aquavit brand O P Andersson tend to be available in abundance, though. Among the seafarers in Sweden, Martha has been known since the early 70:s, and more or less illegal thirdhand VHS-copies was distributed widely along with the first-hand movies and VHS-tapes. Recently, a DVD-version - with new and (hopefully) improved Swedish translation - is available with some extra goodies. Sadly, the translation from Danish to Swedish is somewhat lacking in accuracy, at least on the VHS-copy I've seen. The Danish phrase which means "steady she goes!" is translated into the Swedish equivalent of "She sails beautifully!" which is a shame, really. I've learned that Martha is shown to students as well, which is very good indeed.

I cannot give praise enough to this film. For many seafarers, it is THE movie, strangely accurately showing the seamen's life of bygone days - albeit with a humorous twist or two - better than any serious-faced documentary.

Martha is probably the best, the funniest, and most lovable comedy ever to come out of Denmark. At the time of its release it was a financial flop, but time has made it a classic. Many lovers of old classic danish comedies consider Martha to be the finest of its kind. Even for people who have seen it numerous times, little fine details can still be found. The team is excellent, the cast counts the most loved danish actors of that era, and Balling shows why is by many considered to be the master of popular comedy.

It should be noted though, that while the finished screenplay was written by director Erik Balling and production designer Henning Bahs in collaboration, the original story was conceived by Bahs and the actor Preben Kaas, who plays the cookie on board the ship.

This is stated in the credits on the home video/DVD cassette.

Martha is a movie you can see again and again. It shows the Danish culture very well. Danish actor really knows how to play drunk.

"Their heavenly life comes a halt on the evening when they go out to celebrate Halfdan's birthday, a prostitute (Anousaki) is duly purveyed for his rite of passage. The ship company owner O. P. Andersen (Kjærulff-Schmidt) blows in with his spoiled daughter Lone (Borchsenius) and his omniscient secretary (Weiding). An overhaul is grudgingly implemented and most of them are prove incompetent and summarily fired by Andersen, although Lone needs to be rough-housed by a macho man like Knud to be meek and smitten (a glaring mismatch to propagate homegrown masculine prowess)."

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