Day of Wrath
1943, Drama, 1h 37m
26 Reviews 1,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Beautifully filmed and rich with period detail, Day of Wrath peers into the past to pose timelessly thought-provoking questions about intolerance and societal mores. Read critic reviews
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Cast & Crew
Absalon Pederssøn
Anne Pedersdotter
Merete
Martin
Herlofs Marte
Mester Laurentius
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Critic Reviews for Day of Wrath
Audience Reviews for Day of Wrath
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Feb 18, 2013Day of Wrath is an amazing Carl Th. Dreyer drama, and is my favorite film set in the medieval ages. The film is centered around two scandals, a cover up and a love affair. Both weigh equal value to the film just at different times. I think the greatest part of this film, despite being from the 1940s and set in the 1600s, is that I strongly relate to the family in it. Not a character, or even the situation, but I felt like I had something to share with all four of the family members. I felt all of there emotions, even the seemingly heartless ones. It's brilliantly filmed, and is technically flawless. Filled with depth and marvelous technique, this is undeniably a classic.Daniel D Super Reviewer
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Jan 06, 2012Brilliant and a truly brave piece of work given the fact that Dreyer had to flee Nazi Denmark as a result of the content of this film. A classic morality play.John B Super Reviewer
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Sep 26, 2010[font=Century Gothic]"Day of Wrath" takes place in 1623 when Herlofs Marte(Anna Svierkier) is suspected of being a witch and that is just as good as being guilty and burned at the stake. At this point, the only thing the authorities are concerned with is the state of her soul. So, she makes a break for it, ending up at the household of Anne(Lisbeth Movin), whose mother was herself denounced as a witch but was released on the testimony of the Reverend Absalon(Thorkild Roose), Anne's much, much older husband. In fact, his son, Martin(Preben Lerdorff Rye), is older than she is. Herlofs Marte is soon discovered and tells Absalon that if she burns, she won't be the only one...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]It may be odd that 15 years after Carl Theodor Dreyer made "The Passion of Joan of Arc, " that he would return to similar territory with "Day of Wrath," which is a haunting movie about religious hypocrisy, the attitude towards women and the ignorance of the time period. Absalon did the right thing by letting Anne's mother go but it was so very wrong to covet her in the bargain. That event sets up the tragic circumstances of the movie, particularly the near incestuous relationship between Anne and Martin.[/font]Walter M Super Reviewer
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Sep 23, 2010A Dreyer film to the bone: technically innovative, critical of the dogmatic nature of Christianity, and brimming with fully-immersed, intelligent actors. I think Lisbeth Movin is a little bit unsubtle, but it might also be that she's portraying a woman so overwhelmed with new passion that she can't help but express it against her will. I love the way the movie is lit, and how it interacts dynamically with the characters' discussions of the "fire" in her eyes; she is a fascinating protagonist, repellent and sympathetic at the same time, and the language of the movie seems to reflect our constantly-shifting notions. What she is doing is wrong, but as the text unfurls to reveal a loveless marriage that she was essentially forced into, you cannot help but commend her for salvaging some bit of happiness. Fascinating work, if not totally groundbreaking in the grand scheme of Dreyer's oeuvre.Drew S Super Reviewer
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