Ordet

"A Legend for Today"

Jan 10 1955 Not Rated 2h 6m
Drama

The three sons of devout Danish farmer Morten have widely disparate religious beliefs. Youngest son Anders shares his father's religion, but eldest son Mikkel has lost his faith, while middle child Johannes has become delusional and proclaims that he is Jesus Christ himself. When Mikkel's wife, Inger goes into a difficult childbirth, everyone's beliefs are put to the test.

Plot

How do we understand faith and prayer, and what of miracles? August 1925 on a Danish farm. Widowed Patriarch Borgen, who's rather prominent in his community, has three sons: Mikkel, a good-hearted agnostic whose wife Inger is pregnant, Johannes, who believes he is Jesus, and Anders, young, slight, in love with the tailor's daughter. The fundamentalist sect of the girl's father is anathema to Borgen's traditional Lutheranism; he opposes the marriage until the tailor forbids it, then Borgen's pride demands that it happen. Unexpectedly, Inger, who is the family's sweetness and light, has problems with her pregnancy. The rational doctor arrives, and a long night brings sharp focus to at least four views of faith.

Written by

Kaj Munk, Carl Theodor Dreyer

Directed by

Carl Theodor Dreyer

Production Countries

Denmark

Production Companies

Palladium

Languages

Dansk

Awards

7 wins & 2 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
18,068
Average Rating
8.2 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA