by Donna Burgess

Created on: May 24, 2009

According to Boggs and Petrie, film and literature share many elements that set them apart from other forms of art (2008, p. 32). The presentation of stories either on the page or on film employs many common devices to create a believable experience for the audience. Some films are more successful than others in doing this. A great example is Danish director Lars Von Trier's 1996 film Breaking the Waves. With strong characterization, relatable themes and poignant ironic twists, this film is at times both exhilarating and exhausting. More importantly, it remains in the mind long after the lights go up or the DVD player has been switched off.

Set in the early 1970s, Breaking the Waves centers on the love between Bess, played by Emily Watson and Jan (Stellan Skarsgard). Although it is a period piece, the tale is a timeless story of a couple's love and the obstacles and conflicts they face.

Shot-on-location in Northern Scotland, we get to know Bess who is a simple, naive girl who lives in an austere village where the bearded elders look at outsiders with distain, forbid church bells to ring out, and sinners are told they will burn in hell after they die. Jan is a hearty Norwegian who works on an oilrig in the North Sea. Their marriage is both disapproved of by those in the strict community and initially somewhat unlikely to the viewers, but Von Trier does well to show marital bliss in the days following. However, too quickly, Jan must return to the rig, leaving Bess in despair over his departure. While at sea, Jan is gravely injured, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. While confined to the hospital bed, Jan makes the strange request of Bess to have sex with other men.

On the surface, this brief summary does the film little justice, but once the viewer places his or her trust in both the director and his leading actors, the story begins to unfold and becomes heartbreakingly believable. Characters are the focal point of most dramatic tales, and Bess is a terrific, though not altogether stable, guide through the pleasure and turmoil that makes up this story. With Von Trier's choice to use handheld cameras for many shots, the film gains the feeling and closeness of home movies (Stratton, 1996). With the use of extreme close-ups and subtle glances directly to the camera at times, Watson brings the audience into Bess' world.

Watson's portrayal is multi-layered. First, we meet an innocent, childlike girl who talks to God. She is a virgin who requests her

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>