<< Return to previous page

A naive woman living in a remote Calvinist community on the Scottish coast, Bess (Emily Watson in a stunning debut) flaunts the will of the town's austere churchmen to marry Jan, a lusty Swede working in a nearby offshore oil rig. Her purity is put to the ultimate test when Jan is crippled in an accident and she agrees to continue their love-makign vicariously through other men. Pilloried as a harlot, Bess is committed to the asylum; but not before she seeks Jan's recovery through one final act of faith.

Captured through Robby Mueller's (Paris, Texas) raw, relentless hand-held camera, this triumphant tale of tragedy, faith and redemption - the first in Von Trier's "Golden Heart" trilogy on saintly heroines bookended by Dancer in the Dark 0 is a cinematic tour de force.

Director:

Lars von Trier [15],

Starring:

Stellan Skarsgard [31], Katrin Cartlidge [6], Jean-Marc Barr [7], Emily Watson [22],

Screen Formats:

Widescreen 2.35:1

Language and Sound:

English 5.1 Dolby Digital
English Dolby Digital Stereo

Members get full screen trailers, critic reviews, member reviews and more.

• Sign up for a free trial