A new foreman, Huus, arrives in a sleepy Danish village, much to the delight of the unmarried women there. However, Huus becomes very friendly with Katinka and her husband, Bai, the stationmaster. Katinka, childless and in frail health, gradually falls in love with Huus, though her husband does not seem to notice. Based on the work by Herman Bang.
Acting
Tammi Øst's face does what pages of dialogue cannot.
Direction
Von Sydow's camera lingers like unspoken desire itself.
Cinematography
Gray Danish light has never looked more suffocating.
Director
Max von Sydow
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Max von Sydow's only feature as director. He reportedly chose it specifically because he wanted to explore female interiority after decades of playing imposing men.
Herman Bang's original 1889 novella was considered scandalous for its frank depiction of married women's desire. The film's 1988 release coincided with a Danish revival of his work, often called 'the Scandinavian Flaubert' for similar reasons.
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