Dreyer's final film, Gertrud is the story of a woman's search for a romantic ideal of total and perfect love. A once famous singer now in her early forties, Gertrud makes the decision to leave her lawyer husband for a young composer. Discovering the next day that her lover betrayed her, and is unable to give her his total love, Gertrud rejects both husband and lover, choosing a life of solitude and study over the compromise of love that is merely half-measure.
( British Film Institute ).

Denmark - 1964 - black and white - Danish language - English subtitles.

Adaptation of the novel Gertrud (1906) by Hjalmar Söderberg which juxtaposes the quest of sexes to impose their ideals on each other.
Bergmanian, scandinavian atmosphere, very slow scenes with lots of conversation. The style is that formal it makes you believe your watching numerous Job's messengers. Very static scenes, spiritualising the immanent sexual and religious desires of the various actors. The conversations are so solemn and confessional that it may seem slightly incomprehensible to certain 21st century eyes.

DVD Extras

- Carl Th. Dreyer und Gertrud - documentary (1994) - 29'
- The Village Church - 14' ( )