MASTER OF THE HOUSE

Denmark, 1925, 119 minutes, Black and White.
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer.

Master of the House is a morality play by master Danish film director Carl Theodore Dreyer (The Passion of Joan of Arc, Ordet, Vampyr, Day of Wrath).

From the mid-'20s, the film is highly stylised in its silent film mode. However, there is a sense of vitality and movement as the film shows the family in its own house, moving from room to room with the pace of the family and their lifestyle. The film transcends the limitations of silent film and fixed camera.

Based on a play, the film is really a 1920s morality play. It shows a family, the father out of work, his ill-treatment of his wife and children, the wife as a slave. However, the father's nanny who still helps out with the family is a strong-minded woman and wants to show the father how tyrannical he is. She succeeds. The wife goes away for a holiday and the father has to come to his senses and realise what has happened to the whole family.

The opening credits highlight this aspect of the morality play, focusing its title on the master of the house but also with a subtitle including concern for love of spouse.

The film is well acted in its stylised way, making its points fairly directly and sometimes heavily. However, it is considered something of a masterpiece in silent film crafting.

1.The work of Dreyer? Danish background, his silent film styles? His mastery of black and white photography, editing and pace?

2.A 1925 morality play? Vision of family, of suffering, of sinfulness, of reconciliation, of hope?

3.The black and white photography, the house set? Fixed tripod camerawork? The captions - especially with the introduction of the theme, the characters, indicating audiences attitudes towards characters and situations?

4.The title, the alternative with the focus on the wife and her suffering? Themes?

5.The house of 1925, authentic feel, the rooms, the lifestyle and quality of life in the house? Time, the morning, the day progressing? The activities in the house?

6.The portrait of Ida, her working as a slave, attitude towards her children, towards her husband? His treatment of her? Her behaviour, hard work, giving the best to her husband? Her collapse? Mads and her advice, her mother advising her to go away? The holiday, its effect on her, her absence from the household? Coming back - and the joke played on Viktor?

7.Viktor, the master of the house, asleep, getting up, growling and criticising, wanting the best food, the collapse of his work? Job? Tyranny over his wife, criticism of the children? The screenplay making reference to tyrants? His relationship with Mads, memories of the past, his becoming a bit childlike in her presence? The decision for Ida to go away? His reaction? His behaviour in her absence, discovering the realities of day-by-day life in the house, Mads and her reprimanding him? With the children? Wanting his wife back? The process of the gradual change? Ready for his wife to return? Asking the daughter? The trick being played on him, the reconciliation?

8.Mads, the stern old lady, her treatment of Viktor, remembering him as a child? Her concern about Ida? In the house, doing the work, telling Viktor off? Wanting somebody to come in to do the washing? Making him to the corner? Her treatment of the children? Her being vindicated?

9.Ida's mother, her concern, offering money, getting Ida away? The reconciliation at the end?

10.The sketch of the son and daughter, their place in the home, their relationship with their father, concern about their mother, going out, spending money, homework? Karen and the household? Their longing for their mother? Her return?

11.Ida's holiday, the communication, Viktor and his suspicions of another man - the flashback and the story about the old friend? The help of the doctor?

12.Straightforward morality play, the 1920s style - yet the perennial relevance?