We excitedly countdown to the 72nd Festival de Cannes with a different prize winning film each day.
Breaking the Waves, 1996
Grand Prix – Lars von Trier
Long before Nymphomaniac, Antichrist, Dogville and Dancer in the Dark, there was another poor woman suffering in the twisted world of Lars von Trier. Emily Watson’s Bess in Breaking the Waves, is a tragic lost soul if there ever was one. Like The Wife (Charlotte Gainsbourg) n Antichrist, Bess is a woman who is unable to cope with her own grief and as a result her life spirals out of control.
Breaking the Waves marked an important change in focus for Lars von Trier as a story-teller. In von Trier’s early films, the protagonist is a man, typically a disillusioned idealist whose downfall is furthered by a deceitful, fatal woman. Breaking the Waves saw for the first time the protagonist in a von Trier film be a woman.
Many of Lars’ critics will say that he is a misogynist, and to a degree they are probably right. But, Lars seems to be fascinated with the power and determination that women have. Even when Bess faces tragedy after tragedy, she somehow gets back up on her little motorbike and carries on riding, as kids throw stones at her. What these women have in Lars’ films is spirit and tenacity. Something that maybe Lars believes he lacks.
Bess is this shy, religious girl who lives in an austere community where village elders forbid church bells and sinners are told they’ll go to hell when they die. She often talks to God asking Him for guidance, only to reply back to herself in a deep stern voice, play acting as God. Her life is very simple. She lives with her mother, grandfather and her sister-in-law, Dodo (Katrin Cartlidge).
“Breaking the Waves saw for the first time the protagonist in a Von Trier film be a woman… What these women have in Lars’ films is spirit and tenacity. Something that maybe Lars believes he lacks.”
Bess’ home is a cold and harsh place, captured spectacularly by Robby Muller’s cinematography which manages to to show this cruel and relentless environment in all of its glory. There’s a distinct lack of colour n the island, and the land along with the sea stretches on for miles.
The film starts off in a positive fashion. Bess is to marry Jan (Stellan Skarsgard), a ruggedly handsome man who works on a North Sea oil rig. Jan is the opposite to quiet, meek Bess. He seems to be an extrovert, comfortable with socialising with others, and wears his pride on his sleeve for the whole world to see.
Their union seems unlikely, and we aren’t give any explanation as to how this unlikely couple met. von Trier isn’t really interested in exploring the past, his focus is on these character’s current situation and their future. To von Trier, the past is something that cannot be changed. It has just happened, and people must deal with the consequences.
Bess and Jan’s married life is blissful, they seem infatuated with one and other. And they’re at it like rabbits. Jan seems amazed at the fact that Bess is a virgin, asking her in disbelief how she could have remained one for so long. It’s clear that Bess relies heavily on Jan in order to function as a person. Their relationship is one of codependency, but soon the tables will turn and it will be Jan relying on Bess.
” There are so many words that spring to mind when discussing Watson’s performance. She’s quite simply brilliant in every sense of the word.”
Of course, this is a Lars von Trier film and life is never easy in his world. Their joy is cut short when Jan is injured and paralyzed from the neck down. Rather than realising that this was just a terrible workplace accident, Bess blames herself because she’d prayed to God that Jan would come home to her.
Confined in a hospital, Jan begs Bess to entertain him by having sex with other men and telling him about her experiences. At first reluctant, Bess soon begins sleeping around, believing her actions will cure Jan. In fact he does improve and Bess takes this as a sign from God that what she is doing is the right thing.
As her behavior becomes known, she’s ostracized by the conservative community, including her troubled mother (Sandra Voe). It turns out Bess is mentally unstable and was hospitalized after her brother’s death. There is a high chance that she will end up being sectioned again, unless a miracle takes place.
There are so many words that spring to mind when discussing Watson’s performance. She’s quite simply brilliant in every sense of the word. The way she glances at the camera, giving us a small, genuine smile every so often, is enough to make your heart burst. There’s an energy to her performance, but she never descends into conventional “mad/bad/sad’’ female character trope that gets used so often in cinema.
“Lars von Trier may seem like the punch line to a bad and offensive joke, but his films have a lot of meaning and depth to them.”
It’s easy to blame Jan for his treatment towards Bess, although there’s no denying the fact that he does care for her. And he does try to help this poor woman. However, Bess is trapped in a vicious cycle. This is a woman who has relied on other people to make decisions for her and as a result Bess is easily manipulated and trusting of others.
Lars von Trier may seem like the punch line to a bad and offensive joke, but his films have a lot of meaning and depth to them. Love him or hate him, you can’t help but admire the complex characters that he creates.
Like all of his films, Breaking the Waves is hardly an easy watch. But, it’s a powerful film which stays with you long after it has finished. I never quite know what I am going to get with a Lars von Trier film, and there’s something so exciting about that.
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