Breaking the Waves (1996)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Lars von Trier

Writers:

Lars von Trier (written by)
Peter Asmussen (co-written by)

Release Date:

13 November 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Love is a mighty power.

Plot:

Oilman Jan is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when Jan urges her to have sex with another.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Accident | Sex | Scotland | Oil Rig

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 40 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Emily Watson	...	Bess McNeill
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Jan Nyman
Katrin Cartlidge	...	Dodo McNeill
Jean-Marc Barr	...	Terry
Adrian Rawlins	...	Dr. Richardson
Jonathan Hackett	...	Priest
Sandra Voe	...	Mother
Udo Kier	...	Sadistic Sailor
Mikkel Gaup	...	Pits
Roef Ragas	...	Pim
Phil McCall	...	Grandfather
Robert Robertson	...	Chairman
Desmond Reilly	...	An Elder
Sarah Gudgeon	...	Sybilla
Finlay Welsh	...	Coroner (as Finley Welsh)

Also Known As:

Amor omnie (Denmark) (working title)
Breaking the Waves (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic sexuality, nudity, language and some violence.

Runtime:

159 min | USA:153 min (director's cut)

Country:

Denmark | Sweden | France | Netherlands | Norway | Iceland

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:R21 (re-rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:R | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | Denmark:12 | Finland:K-14 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Hungary:16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Argentina:16 | Israel:18

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Argus Film Produktie

Trivia:

The person being buried is called Anthony Dod Mantle. This is a reference to Lars von Trier's favorite cinematographer - Anthony Dod Mantle - who served as a location scout in the movie.

Quotes:

Bess McNeill: Everyone has something they're good at. I've always been stupid, but I'm good at this.

Movie Connections:

References Ordet (1943)

Soundtrack:

Happy Landing

Outstanding film of complicated, unsettling ideas

The first time I saw Breaking the Waves, I was astonished that Emily Watson had not acted for the cinema before her turn as Bess McNeill. What she brings to the role of the naive Scottish girl offers a clinic on superlative acting that could humble veterans with ten times the experience. Another thing that makes this film so special is that it never backs away from its vivid and mature examination of love, commitment, and aspects of the metaphysical. I easily class this work as one of the top films of the 1990s. Director Lars von Trier is a true visionary, and the (largely hand-held) cinematography by Robby Muller perfectly defines the tone of the film -- in fact, the theatre where I saw Breaking the Waves posted a disclaimer that warned anyone who suffers from motion or sea-sickness to see the film at their own peril!