Du sollst deine Frau ehren (1925)

Du sollst deine Frau ehren: Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer. With Johannes Meyer, Astrid Holm, Karin Nellemose, Mathilde Nielsen. When a man becomes tyrannical towards his family, the women of the house decide to teach him a lesson in gratitude.

“u0026quot;We men are such fools!u0026quot; proclaims former master of the house Viktor, and you canu0026#39;t help but feel a sliver of guilt as he silently utters those words. Thatu0026#39;s the timeless universality of film, I suppose: a Danish movie made over 80 years ago is still relevant today.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis was my first Dreyer, and it is quite a light offering considering the manu0026#39;s weighty reputation. Itu0026#39;s a social drama with a patently feminist message delivered with a typically heavy hand (by todayu0026#39;s standards). Johannes Meyer is Viktor, the decent man turned into a brute by the failure of his business who doesnu0026#39;t realise just how much he takes his long-suffering wife Ida (Astrid Holm) for granted. Fortunately for Ida, Viktoru0026#39;s curmudgeonly former nanny (Mathilde Neilsen), takes control of the situation by packing the frazzled Ida off to a sanatorium so that she can sort Viktor out. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film drags for the first half-hour as the daily ritual of the Frandsen family is established. Letu0026#39;s face it, thereu0026#39;s little of interest in watching people polishing shoes and preparing breakfast, but things get a little more interesting once Nanny takes charge. Itu0026#39;s message is a bit too sweeping (although all us men are probably guilty to some degree) and a little too simplistic in its treatment and resolution, but thereu0026#39;s plenty on the screen to demonstrate Dreyeru0026#39;s talent as a director – although some symbolism (caged birds, for example) must have been overused even by 1925. A decent enough film, worth watching despite its mundane setting.”