L'angelo del focolare

Du Skal ære Din Hustru / Master of the House (1925) : Brief Review -

One of the earliest films to break the silence on the domestic tyranny of husbands over housewives. A commandment for all men: "Thou Shalt Honour Thy Wife." I never really imagined an unorthodox filmmaker like Carl Theodor Dreyer making such a simple film with a sweet message. So Master of the House was like a notion breaker for me, and it also made me realise the fact that Dreyer was a master of all genres and various topics, that too in different cinema industries. This was a Danish film - a cinema industry that wasn't fully exposed to the pathbreaking cinema at that time. Yet, Carl brought them a pathbreaking topic without going beyond mainstream theories of society. Now this one is deeper and closer than it appears because it takes you inside a house. The film shows you the happenings we all see in every alternate family and almost every next couple. We all witness such things even today, almost a century later. So you can imagine the power and importance of this concept brought to light by Carl Theodor Dreyer. It was one of the earliest films to break the silence on domestic violence, verbal abuse, ill-treatment, and humiliation faced by common housewives. I am a man, but I felt for her, and I hated the man here, and I also liked the change in his behavior. That was predictable, though, and still extremely lovable. When a man loses his job, he becomes tyrannical towards his family and the women of the house. A nanny and mother-in-law decide to teach him a lesson in gratitude, or to the entire fraternity of male dominance for that matter. Astrid Holm makes a housewife that you'll love to have in your life, while Mathilde Nielsen's portrayal wins your heart. Carl Theodor Dreyer's film is sweet, simple and beautiful, but most importantly, it teaches all men to honour their wives, who tirelessly rub the house 27x7 for them.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Du skal ære din hustru was restored last year by Palladium, the original company that released it in 1925. It was also released on DVD along with the likewise newly restored Vredens Dag, Ordet and Gertrud. These are actually the first ever releases on DVD by the Danes themselves of their most important films. It took some time but the result is splendid, at least as far as Du skal ære din hustru is concerned. The current version is free from scratches and dirt and comes with the original Danish intertitles. It runs for 107 minutes.

Having seen the other early Dreyer films (before Jeanne) both long ago on the screen and on DVD relatively recent, I must say that this remains for me without doubt the most interesting one. Indeed it is great! This is because its success is purely cinematographic: Although based on the popular 1919 play "The tyrant's fall", it strikes me how little it resembles a stage performance; how well the natural acting (not in any way overacted) is integrated in the two or three small rooms of the troubled family's apartment, not least how excellently the scenes are constructed, and especially the lightning, which is never too bright, yet bringing out every detail in the house. It is a joy to see this environment come alive; a cross between a petit bourgeois and an upper working class world, as well as to study the many objects appearing from another time: The carefully hung pictures on the walls, the always-burning oven (it is winter) with its place for the kettle, and all the small oddities from a hundred years ago (well, almost). Indeed Dreyer himself paid utmost importance to it; he constructed everything from scratch to look exactly like a Christianshavn apartment, and he made sure that the camera always was positioned around the characters like it was another ghostly member of the family. We are drawn into the surroundings in a way that a theatre stage never could manage, and the actors are shown in their best possible manner, where only a small wink or a troubled gaze is enough to indicate what goes on inside them and how they interact with one another. This is a huge step forward from the previous films by Dreyer, and indeed from most other films at the time.

As the plot is well cared for by other posters, I will not bother here with any details but must say that I find the relationship between husband and wife to be as realistic as could be hoped for in a 1925 movie: Viktor may be a tyrant but only a household tyrant (they can be bad enough). He is cross, not violent. And Ida may be the typical suffering and under-appreciated wife but she bares her lot with great dignity. She loves him and supports him because she understands that his loss of business gives him hard times; he can barely support his family, yet he must appear like a winner to the outside world. The children seem to understand this as well, particularly the sympathetic and obedient Karen but also her younger brother Frederik, who must nevertheless endure some humiliating punishment. They seem to know every possible little detail that Viktor craves, and they try not to makes things worse for him. That leaves the rebel of the house, Viktor's old nanny, who provides both comical relief and some clever revenge structures. They all tell so much by playing so little, it is as if the story could be told almost by their gestures alone, without the need of the abundance of intertitles which to me are only stating the obvious. We can see what's going on; every frame tells a story and every cut makes us notice how swiftly the action can change from the tense to the out of hand. Dreyer is really himself the master of the house as far as editing is concerned, often creating fast moving scenes by making movement continue from one shot to another in a masterful way that was not common at that time. Today it easy to overlook such important details and consequently loose much of what makes this film special.

When first released, the film was an outstanding success, both with the critics and with the audiences, both in Denmark and abroad, most notably in France, where Le Temps saw its simplicity and attention to small details as a great example to be followed by French directors. In 1925, that included at least Jean Renoir, whose first films were not free from stagey drama and overacting (Nana...). The official Carl Th. Dreyer website provides both this review and others, although you need to brush up your Danish to read them (Well if James Joyce could do it...): It seems that the Danish critics all agreed that this was the best Danish film yet. The site also provides the full manuscript with many scenes missing from the current print. I think I remember seeing a beautiful scene where Karen, full of sisterly love, washes the nude Frederik, who is standing in a basin in the kitchen, but it is now missing. It is, however, shown on a still photo that is both on the DVD and on the Dreyer-site. Was it censored? Or is it just my dirty imagination? There are also some hilarious fantasy scenes in the manuscript, including one where Viktor is horsewhipping the entire family who are pulling him around on a wagon, that were either not filmed or cut somewhere along the way.

Anyway, the film as we have it in the current print remains one of the most moving of its era, as good as the similar ones by Murnau and Pabst from around the same time (say Tartuffe and Geheimnisse einer Seele), and that for me is as good as domestic cinema ever got in the twenties.

"A drama," they call it, and true enough, a drama it is. But to an extent this is a film that somewhat occupies a strange place. The content defining the first 45 minutes or is strikingly dark - any basic premise of the movie refers to male figure Viktor as a "tyrant," but that alone is too kind a word to describe his monstrous behavior and cruel disposition. The tone that 'Master of the house' adopts is much too light to wholly impart the horrid abuse he inflicts upon his wife, his children, and everyone else around him, which with a mere change of technical composition would be fitting for a more modern, grittier rendition. At the same time, the described comeuppance he slowly comes to receive is indeed gratifying, and conveys much needed levity to offer counterbalance to the severity of the first act. Even as the picture ultimately ends as we anticipate, there's sufficient somber realism in the course of events that frankly a content warning is necessary in light of Viktor's iniquities and his family's victimization.

With all that said, however, there's also no mistaking that the miasma serves to build a wonderfully engrossing, compelling story. The adapted screenplay concocted between director Carl Theodor Dreyer and playwright Svend Rindom is filled with vivid, engaging scene writing, and strong characters who have real arcs. The narrative is unexpectedly rich and satisfying as it plays with timeless themes of family, responsibility, and humility. Plenty of other movies over the years have toyed with similar notions in different ways and to varying degrees of success, yet to whatever measure comparisons can be drawn, 'Master of the house' still comes off as a title all its own, with a precise, pleasing mixture of drama and lightly comedic elements. Moreover, at length it's terrifically endearing in its heartfelt sincerity, communicating important social messaging as Viktor learns what is most important.

One must note the swell contributions of everyone on hand, including those behind the scenes working in costume design, hair and makeup, and set design and decoration. Dreyer's direction - guiding the cast, arranging shots and scenes, and helming the production generally - is sturdy and capable, as is his editing. Above all, though, the cast is a delight. Johannes Meyer gives an exquisite performance as Viktor, illustrating super range and poise in embodying the man at his most cretinous, but also in his humbled state. Playing opposite Meyer with great nuance and strength of personality, Mathilde Nielsen is a blast as nanny Mads, serving as a brilliant foil and corrective force in the home. Even the young actors depicting the children, especially Karin Nellemose as oldest daughter Karen, demonstrate fine ability even at just the start of their careers, and it's a treat to watch them all practice their craft.

Between the subject matter, the overall thrust of the plot, and the film's place in the silent era. This isn't necessarily going to be for all viewers. For any subjective difficulties that may present, however, by far I dare say this is a tremendously worthy, absorbing feature that very well stands the test of time. Rather excruciating as the first bit of the length is, when all is said and done 'Master of the house' is earnest and beautiful, and rewarding as a viewer. Anyone who isn't turned off by what a mere glance may portend would do well to sit for it, and I think there's enough value here that enough those who tend to resist silent pictures may still find it worthwhile. Long story short, if you have the chance to watch 'Master of the house,' I think these are 107 minutes that hold up very well almost 100 years later!

The story of a "spoilt husband" - selfish, irritable, very ill-tempered and demanding as he rules the house, while his patient/devoted wife gets up at the crack of dawn to start her drab day of tending to his constant needs and complaints. Even the kids have to perform tasks all day rather than play to satisfy their tyrant of a father - but he's NEVER satisfied, nothing seems to be to his liking! Yeah, you got it, this guy is a serious jerk leaving me to wonder why the wife hasn't left him long ago. Luckily smart Nana, hubby's childhood nursemaid, steps up to the plate to help make some changes as she fetches the wife's mother and the two old women set out to straighten this guy out and teach him the lesson he so badly needs - to appreciate his wife. So the wife goes away for a "rest" (well needed, I should say) leaving hard-nosed Nana in charge of the brute!

This film is adequately entertaining, it is photographed in an interesting way, but is somewhat slow-moving and drags a bit in places. I would say at least half an hour shorter would have made this a better film. The acting is quite well done by all players. The version as shown on TCM included a pleasant piano score that sometimes suits the plot - and sometimes doesn't. Worth seeing.

Exceptional because 90% of the story is set in an apartment but does not bore the viewer.The main credit to the movie should go to the writers.Although the story is mainly serious many of the lines show well thought out humor.It's already been brought out how the film is a step back in time showing how a typical Danish family might of went about doing daily chores in that era.At times it has the look of being filmed for future generations to study.Seeing a person carrying a tub of clothes up a few flights of stairs can generate a lot of appreciation for a clothes dryer.The few outdoor scenes were of interest also as they reflected a lifestyle of the past.Yes the story is of a a bad husband/father mistreating the family.To add to his fearful image he seems to be a huge man.This may be best noted in a closeup scene of his hand and the oldest daughter's hand together,the difference in size is great.The emphasis on his being a tyrant is great also but quite believable.The wife's slave like existence is laid on thick and is not quite so believable.The doubt here being brought about by her total lack of verbal response to the husbands unreasonable comments.She just puts her head down and obeys.Her role is almost 100% fairytale like.Compared to her Cinderella might seem sassy.The mentioning of the wife's lack of protest is an observation not an criticism (it's not easy to make that sound right).Anyone with only a slight interest in this subject matter will probably still be entertained by this movie.