Breaking the Waves (1996)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Lars von Trier

Writers:

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

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)
David Gallacher	...	Glasgow Doctor
Ray Jeffries	...	Man on Bus
Owen Kavanagh	...	Man at Lighthouse
Bob Docherty	...	Man on Boat
David Bateson	...	Young Sailor
Callum Cuthbertson	...	Radio Operator
Gavin Mitchell	...	Police Officer 1
Brian Smith	...	Police Officer 2
Iain Agnew	...	Praying Man 1
Charles Kearney	...	Praying Man 2
Steven Leach	...	Praying Man 3
Dorte Rømer	...	Nurse
Anthony J. O'Donnell	...	Boy 1 (as Anthony O'Donnell)
John Wark	...	Boy 2
Ronnie McKellaig	...	Presenter
Peter Bensted	...	Ugly Man (voice)
Simon Towler Jorfaid	...	Boy in Film (voice)

Directed by
Lars von Trier		(as Lars Von Trier)

Writing credits
Lars von Trier		(written by) (as Lars Von Trier)
Peter Asmussen		(co-written by)
David Pirie		uncredited

Produced by
Axel Helgeland	....	co-producer
Peter Aalbæk Jensen	....	producer
Lars Jönsson	....	executive producer
Rob Langestraat	....	co-producer
Marianne Slot	....	co-producer
Peter van Vogelpoel	....	co-producer (as Peter Van Vogelpoel)
Vibeke Windeløv	....	producer

Cinematography by
Robby Müller

Film Editing by
Anders Refn

Casting by
Joyce Nettles

Production Design by
Karl Júlíusson		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Manon Rasmussen

Makeup Department
Sanne Gravfort	....	makeup artist
Dorota Horonska	....	assistant makeup artist
Morten Jacobsen	....	special makeup and surgical effects artist
Jennifer Jorfaid	....	makeup artist (as Jennifer Jorfald)

Production Management
Tove Jystrup	....	post-production supervisor
Leif Mohlin	....	production manager
Lene Nielsen	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Morten Arnfred	....	first assistant director
Kristoffer Nyholm	....	second unit director

Art Department
Poul Erik Andersen	....	carpenter
Jonas Alexander Arnby	....	assistant props
Morten Constantineanu Bak	....	graphic designer
Mogens Craner	....	carpenter
Eva Gøttrup	....	props trainee
Peter Grant	....	property master
Simone Grau	....	props (as Simone Grau Larsen)
Leo Jørgart	....	construction manager
John Knight	....	additional props: Scotland
Jørgen Krogh	....	painter
Alistair Macgregor	....	building constructor: Scotland
Nini Mandal	....	props seamstress
René Pejl	....	head painter
Søren Simonsen	....	painter
Torben Skalleræk	....	carpenter
Thomas Westi	....	carpenter
Rasmus With	....	assistant props

Sound Department
Kristian Eidnes Andersen	....	supervising sound editor
Klas Baggström	....	sound recordist: second unit
Lars Christensen	....	recording engineer: "Siciliana"
Hans Møller	....	dialogue editor
Julien Naudin	....	foley artist
Peter Schultz	....	sound effects editor
Ad Stoop	....	boom operator
Per Streit	....	sound designer
Per Streit	....	sound recording mixer

Special Effects by
Lars Andersen	....	special effects: Scotland
Birger Bohm	....	special effects focus puller
Otto Stenov	....	special effects gaffer
Jan Weincke	....	special effects photographer

Visual Effects by
Søren Buus	....	visual effects editor: manipulation
Niels Valentin Dal	....	visual effects editor: manipulation
Steen Lyders Hansen	....	visual effects editor: manipulation
Per Kirkeby	....	digital artist: manipulation

Stunts
Terry Forestal	....	stunt coordinator: Scotland

Camera and Electrical Department
Leif Barney Fick	....	gaffer
Per Heegaard	....	photographer
Thomas Holm	....	assistant camera
Steve Holtson	....	video assist operator
Henrik Jongdahl	....	title photographer
Fredrik Kihl	....	video assist operator
Rolf Konow	....	still photographer
Eric Kress	....	photographer: second unit
Jean-Paul Meurisse	....	camera operator
Søren Johannes Meyer	....	electrician
Christopher Porter	....	gaffer
Per Fredrik Sköld	....	assistant camera (as Per Fredrik Skiöld)
Mads Thomsen	....	focus puller: second unit
Pim Tjujerman	....	focus puller
Morten Ziersen	....	video assist operator

Casting Department
Anne Campbell	....	extras casting: Scotland
Rie Hedegaard	....	casting: Denmark
Ruth Tarko	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Binkie Darling	....	costumes: Scotland
Anne-Marie Gudnitz	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Anders Johannes Bukh	....	assistant editor
Yann Dedet	....	trailer editor
Patrick Dreyfus	....	color timer: video
Olivier Fontenay	....	color timer: film
Niklas Hansen	....	trailer editor
Marianne Jerris	....	negative cutter
Tine Grew Pfeiffer	....	post-production assistant
Lars Wodschow	....	trailer editor

Music Department
Carl-Ulrik Munch Andersen	....	musician: organ
Ulrik Corlin	....	musician
Jan Harboe	....	musician
Tom Harboe	....	consultant: Scottish music
Tom Harboe	....	musician
Joachim Holbek	....	music arranger
Joachim Holbek	....	orchestrator
Christian Steenstrup	....	musician: trumpet
Mark Warrick	....	music producer: Pollyanna
Ray Williams	....	executive music producer
Ulrik Corlin	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Jan Harboe	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Tom Harboe	....	music arranger (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Weinberger	....	driver: bus

Other crew
Anna Anthony	....	assistant: Mr. Jönsson
Kirsten Bonnén Rask	....	script consultant
Douglas Brand	....	rig worker: Montrose, Scotland
Stephen Burt	....	runner: Scotland
Louise Cross	....	assistant: Joyce Nettles
Linda Daae	....	continuity
Anthony Dod Mantle	....	location scout: Scotland
Tony English	....	rig worker: Montrose, Scotland
Charlotte Giannetta	....	caterer
Tómas Gislason	....	script consultant
John Goodwin	....	runner
Christel Hammer	....	public relations
Jens Georg Hansen	....	insurance services: Sedgwick
Else Hartzberg	....	consultant: folk dance
Rasmus Heisterberg	....	runner
Casper Holm	....	production assistant
Henrik Jongdahl	....	title designer
Morten Kleener	....	location manager
Peter Øvig Knudsen	....	location scout: Scotland (as Peter Ovig Knudson)
Ann Køj	....	production accountant (as Ann Koj Slemming)
Christina Mackay	....	church consultant
Christine MacLean	....	production consultant: Scotland (as Christine Maclean)
Elspeth MacNaughton	....	dialogue coach (as Elspeth Macnaughton)
Nanna Mailand-Hansen	....	production assistant
Damien Maurel	....	digital video consultant
Ghita Norrekjær	....	production accountant
Hanne Palmquist	....	public relations
Charlotte Pedersen	....	assistant to producers
Tine Grew Pfeiffer	....	production assistant
Peter Raeburn	....	assistant: Ray Williams
Ricki Rasmussen	....	runner: Scotland
Niels Reiermann	....	trainee (as Niels Reierman)
Janet Riddoch	....	location manager: Scotland
William Ryan	....	rig worker: Montrose, Scotland
Nynne Selin	....	public relations assistant
Birgitte Skov	....	trainee
Jonathan Sydenham	....	script translator
Charlotte Vinther	....	financial controller
Ann Vognsen	....	production accountant
Glenn Weinold	....	runner: Scotland
Grethe Wejlgaard	....	medical consultant
David Wilder	....	completion bond: Film Finances

Thanks
Shirley Clarke	....	thanks: Sony Music
Charlie Lowry Henderson	....	dedicatee
Simon Platz	....	thanks: Bucks Music

Production Companies

• Argus Film Produktie
• Arte
• Canal+
• CoBo Fonds
• Det Danske Filminstitut
• Eurimages
• European Script Fund
• Finnish Film Foundation
• Icelandic Film (as Icelandic Film Corporation)
• La Sept Cinéma
• Liberator Productions
• Lucky Red
• Media Investment Club
• Memfis Film
• Nederlands Fonds voor de Film
• Nordisk Film- & TV-Fond
• Northern Lights
• Norwegian Film Institute
• October Films
• Philippe Bober
• SVT Drama (Stockholm)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)
• TV1000 AB
• Trust Film Svenska
• Villealfa Filmproduction Oy
• Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep (VPRO)
• Yleisradio (YLE)
• Zentropa Entertainments
• Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)

Distributors

• EDKO Film (199?) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Eurocine (1997) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Golem Distribución (1996) (Spain) (theatrical)
• October Films (1996) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Pandora Filmproduktion (1996) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Senso Films Oy (1996) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Artisan Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (1997) (laserdisc)
• Filmfreak Distributie (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Icelandic Film (1996) (Iceland) (all media)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Nachshon Films (1996) (Israel) (all media)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1998) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Manipulation (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• Corbett & Keene  international public relations
• Ex Camera  video transfer to 35 mm
• Film Finance  completion bond
• Film Finances  completion bond
• Lange-Møller Catering ApS  catering
• Mainstream  sound recording facilities
• Pollyanna Music Ltd.  music production
• Scale/Strategies  marketing services
• Sedgwick Dineen  insurance services supplied by

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 first film in Lars von Trier's "Golden Heart" trilogy in which the heroines remain naïve despite their actions. The two other parts are Idioterne (1998) and Dancer in the Dark (2000).

Quotes:

The Minister: Can you tell me about anything of real value that the outsiders have brought with them?
Bess McNeill: Uh... their music?

Movie Connections:

References Ordet (1943)

Soundtrack:

I Did What I Did for Maria

Leap of Faith

"Dogville" is one of my all-time favourite films, and the most disturbing film I've ever seen. I've wanted to see "Breaking the Waves" in quite a while, and recently I finally had the chance. Now I can't say which one is better. What a heartbreaking experience. Emily Watson had one of the best film debuts ever, and this is probably the most accomplished female performance I've seen since Julianne Moore in "The Hours". Actually, if I had to list 3 favourite female performances now, I'd mention Watson, Moore and Isabelle Huppert in "The Piano Teacher". Lars von Trier has a special talent to direct women: just remember Nicole Kidman's and Björk's remarkable performances in "Dogville" and "Dancer in the Dark", respectively.

"Breaking the Waves" tells the story of the pure Bess McNeill (Watson) and her unconditional love for Jan Nyman (Stellan Skarsgård), who is paralyzed after an accident at the oil-rig he works in. Then, Jan convinces Bess to have sex with other men and tell him the details of the sexual encounters, so he won't "forget" how to do it. Bess is determined to make Jan happy and to prove to God that she loves him, but she soon loses control of her actions. The storyline might sound absurd, but Von Trier isn't a joker and he takes us into a devastating journey. Katrin Cartlidge (1961-2002), an extremely gifted actress ("Naked", "Before the Rain", "Claire Dolan", "Career Girls", "Topsy-Turvy" and "No Man's Land") who died too young, delivers a captivating, discreet supporting performance as Dodo, Bess' loving sister-in-law.

I'd say "Breaking the Waves" and "Dogville" are opposite masterpieces: "Waves" being about love and goodness, "Dogville" being about hatred and evil, among other things, of course (nothing's easy or simple in Von Trier's universe). Both films are extremely dark and hard to watch, but "Waves" shows that Von Trier has faith in mankind. His detractors like to label him as a cynical atheist, but "Breaking the Waves" definitely proved me the opposite. Von Trier made a poignant epic about the struggle of an innocent, good-hearted woman who wants to do what God wants her to do (or, at least, what she thinks He wants her to do) and make her husband happy - even if she has to sacrifice herself for that. It's a leap of faith both for Bess and the watcher, who's got to decide if he's ready for such an experience. I wasn't disappointed at all. 10 out of 10.