The Black and White World Where Nothing Is Black and White (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Dreyer's "The Passion of Joan of Arc," "Ordet" and "Day of Wrath" are austere meditations on the nature of faith, devotion and hipocrisy. The three films form a trilogy on the subject. And, while the exhilarating finale of "Ordet" suggests a sense of hope in transcending the kind of segregation that comes from blind devotion, both "Passion" and "Day of Wrath" dwell on the horrifying results of such spiritual blindness. All three films are shot in a stark black and white that emphasizes both the spiritual vaccum in which the characters exist, and also the clear, cold distinctions those characters make with respect to those they celebrate and those they condemn. Yet, spare as these worlds are, the visual spareness of all three films is ironic, for Dreyer argues that there are no distinct lines to be drawn between true faith and heresy. In fact, the three films suggest that spiritual fulfilment for th individual may be a combination of the two. Beneath the sense of quiet desperation in "Day of Wrath" and "Ordet" is a passionate call for an understanding of the diverse ways that humans celebrate their spirituality. In "Passion," that call for understanding translates into an extended, emotional plea. Ultimately, in Dreyer's hands, the subject matter becomes less didactic than enlightening. Watch all three films, and you'll be deeply affected, no matter what your stance is on religion.
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