[FilmReview]DayofWrath(1943)7.5/10

A17thcenturydramaabouttheantediluvianactofwitcherypersecutionandtheexcruciatinghumanbenightednessinflictedbyreligiousindoctrination,CarlTheodorDreyer’sDAYOFWRATHisasublimelyslow-pacedthrenodythatsetstoshockandawe.PriortoIngmarBergman’ssoul-searchingfelicityinpsychoanalyzingourmentationontheexistentialbasis,onthatsameScandinavianland,Dreyer’smoreclinicalandreligion-inflectedstudyhasalreadyplungeditsscalpelintotherealmofcomplexandDAYOFWRATH,albeititsarchaicsubjectmatter,isacinematicaccomplishmentnonpareil.Inthecentralthereisasimplemoralallegory,Anne(Movin)isthemuchyoungerwifeofthegauntrectorAbsalon(Roose),shefallsforthelatter’sadultsonMartin(Rye)fromhisfirstmarriage,andherfeelingisreciprocated,buttheirforbiddenaffaircanneverreachahappyendingbecauseoftheovershadowingwitch-hunting,anexamplehasbeensetbyanelderlywomanMarte(Svierkier),whohasbeenaccusedassuchandissubjectedtothestakeforimmolationandbeforeperishing,ananguishedMarteimploresAbsaloninvaintosaveherjustlikehehasbailedoutAnne’smotherfromthesameundoing,whichalsoexplainshisunbefittingunionwithAnneinthefirstplace.AdvancingwithassignationswithMartinanddomestichostilitywithAbsalon’ssternmotherMerete(ahorrificNeiiendam),Annecomesoffasaself-liberatingsoulbentonsloughingherselffromthelovelessarrangedmarriage,sheiscunningenoughtoensurethatMartinisonthesamepagewithherbutnaivelytakeshisaffectionforgrantedandignoresamanx27;sguiltstemmingfrombetrayinghisownfather.Ittakestwototangobuteventually,itisonlythewomanwhohastopayfortheconsequenceinanerathatnoscientificpost-mortemisathandtofindoutthetruecauseofadeath,thusitiseasilytoblameitonawoman’scurseandthendenouncesherasawitch.Andamplifyingamysticaltenoroftheoccurrences,Dreyertakesanequivocalviewonthewitcheryitself,becauseapparentlybothMeretex27;sandAnne’scursesareeventuallyfulfilled,somaybetheyarewitchesafterall,whichsendsoutacontrarianmessagemightleaveviewersconsiderablybewildered.DreyerchannelsamoreanimatedandpoignantperformanceoutofLisbethMovin’sAnneintandemwithastifferandmoreforthrightactingbentofotherthespians,andincrediblyconstructsasolemnchiaroscuroenvironmentoutofitsausteresettingwithsuperbcompositionalchoices(awe-strikingportraituresgalore)andcameramobility,thefilmisdrapedwithavampiricominousnessevenintheoutdoorscenes,whichisnotrelievedbytheportentousscore.ItisnotacomfortingchamberpiecetowallowinandrequiresacertainacquiredtasteandreligiousnourishmentforDreyer’ssenseofrhythmandastorysoexecrablybackward.ButcreditsmustbebestowedtoDreyer’ssymboliccoupdemaîtreamongstothers,forexample,thatfinalshotmorphingfromacrosstoastakeissimplyheretostaytoremindusthereisathinfinelinebetweenreligiousdevotionandtheologicalabuses.referentialpoint:IngmarBergman’sPERSONA(1966,7.7/10)本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。