THE HEADSMAN
Austria, 2005, 108 minutes, Colour.
Nikolaj Coster- Waldau, Peter Mc Donald, Anastasia Griffith, Steven Berkoff, Brian Pettifer, John Schrapnel, Patrick Godfrey.
Directed by Simon Aeby.
The Headsman is a historical epic, meant to be European rather than Hollywood in style. However, the visuals, the musical score, especially, indicate that it really is parallel to historical films coming from the United States.
It compares badly with these. Some of the writing is rather stilted as is the acting. Nikolaj Coster- Waldau is a striking hero, a warrior who becomes the executioner for a village in the Tyrol during the religious clashes of the sixteenth century. Peter Mc Donald, a regular in many Irish films, is his boyhood companion who has become a Dominican prior. John Shrapnel is a sinister archbishop. Steven Berkoff is his rather intense, sometimes hysterical self, as the Spanish Inquisitor from Spain.
The setting is the Austrian Tyrol in the 1520s and 1530s. Luther has already begun his reformation. The film focuses on the Anabaptists in this village. They are presented as a pure sect, martyrs, critical of the abuses of the Roman church. They fall foul of the archbishop, of the Spanish Inquisition. Their deaths – as with many in the film, especially the beheadings – are presented quite brutally, making the film rather gruesome.
There are the popular ingredients of the hero from the wars, his wife and family, the puzzled and tormented friar, the corrupt bishop as well as the sinister rival for the role of executioner.
The film will not contribute much to an ecumenical discussion, rather fanning differences between the traditions of the Catholic church and the traditions of the Reformation.
The director is Simon Aeby who has made his film with a largely British cast and in English.
1. A historical epic? The religious battles of the 16th century? The Catholic church, the Anabaptists, persecutions, the empire ruled by Spain? The film providing historical background for this story?
2. The location photography, the re-creation of Austria and the Tyrol and the villages at the beginning of the 16th century? The costumes, décor? Battle sequences? The persecutions and torture? The musical score and the epic style?
3. The title, the focus on the executioner and his role, public executions, religious motivations, the eagerness of the crowds, the applause? The old headsman and his retiring, the candidate aspiring to the job, Martin and his marrying the headsman’s daughter and his inheriting the job?
4. The Reformation: the presentation of the Catholic church, the Archbishop of Salzburg, corruption, domination, church loyalties? The background of Luther and the beginnings of the Reformation? The hold of the church over the populace? Executions for heresy? The contrast with the Anabaptists, their being presented as heroic, martyrs, personal religion, against the impositions of the church? Their persecution? The role of Spain, the sending of the Inquisition, the cruelty, the resentment of the Austrians against the Spanish?
5. The opening, the choir, the cathedral, Martin and Georg and their place in the choir, the archbishop singling Georg out, allowing Martin to leave the group? The transition to fifteen years later?
6. Georg, his becoming a Dominican, his becoming a prior? His managing of the priory, the attitudes of the friars, the anti-heretical stance of the fanatic Brother Bernhard? The kindly Brother Bertram who had looked after them as children? The religious rituals of the priory? Georg’s place in the town? The challenge from the Anabaptists to remember his place and that he was not God?
7. Martin, his being brought up in the military, his participating in action and wars? The encounter with Anna in the market, following her home, the relationship? The criticism because Anna and her headsman father were untouchable? His wanting to marry Anna, Georg feeling that he could not do this? Georg sending them to the Anabaptist, the ceremony? The birth of their child?
8. The death of the headsman, the rival and his wanting the job, his malicious attitudes, currying favour? Martin and his assuming the job, his skill with the sword, the executions? Time passing?
9. The growing tension with the heretics? The attitude of the archbishop? The desire to root out heretics, the targeting of the Anabaptists? The persecutions, the raids on their village? The leader, his arrest, torture, his allowing Martin to kill him, his being a martyr?
10. The issue of the relic, the processions, Georg and the precious relic, enshrined in the church? The old woman and her touching the relic, her stealing it, giving it to the would-be headsman? Their deceit, the blaming of the Anabaptists? The friar and his being complicit in the plot?
11. The rivalry for the job of headsman, the rival and his planting the relic in Martin’s home, its discovery? Martin being arrested, his wife being taken as a witch? The flight of the child, the support of Martin for Georg?
12. The pressures on Georg, the archbishop, the inquisitor, his sternness, his criticisms of Georg’s stance?
13. The cruelty of the inquisitor, the executions, the taking of the emperor’s legitimate daughter, her torture, removal of her tongue? Being burnt? The burning of the Anabaptists? The execution of Martin’s wife, his disguising himself as a friar, cutting the inquisitor’s throat, his being killed?
14. Georg, his feeling inadequate, bowing to the pressures of the Spaniards, of the archbishop? The issue of Martin being the archbishop’s son, the archbishop’s change of heart? Georg and his life in the priory? The archbishop having chosen him? His taking off his cross and resigning?
15. The cruelty of the crowds, Anna and her being burnt, the turning against the Spanish occupation?
16. A glimpse of religious bigotry in the 16th century? The emerging world of the Reformation? The picture of the brutality of the period? The stance of the writer and the director, critique of the Catholic church at the time, the affirmation of the reformers? The film – and its possible contribution to ecumenical dialogue (or not)?
