Carl Theodor Dreyer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carl Theodor Dreyer
Dreyer in 1965
Born	(1889-02-03)3 February 1889 Copenhagen, Denmark
Died	20 March 1968(1968-03-20) (aged 79) Copenhagen, Denmark
Nationality	Danish
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter
Years active	1919–1968
Spouse(s)	Ebba Larsen ​ (m. 1911)​
Children	2
Awards	Golden Lion at the 1955 Venice Film Festival for Ordet (The Word)

Carl Theodor Dreyer (born February 3, 1889 – died March 20, 1968) was a famous Danish film director and writer. Many people think he was one of the greatest filmmakers ever. His movies are known for showing strong feelings and having a slow, thoughtful pace.

Dreyer's films often explored themes like unfairness in society. They also looked at how fate and death are connected. He showed the power of bad things in everyday life.

His 1928 movie, The Passion of Joan of Arc, is considered one of the best films of all time. It is famous for its amazing camera work and close-up shots. This film often appears on lists of the greatest movies ever made.

Other well-known films by Dreyer include Michael (1924) and Vampyr (1932). He also directed Day of Wrath (1943), Ordet (The Word) (1955), and Gertrud (1964).

About Carl Theodor Dreyer's Life

Carl Theodor Dreyer was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. His birth mother was an unmarried maid. His birth father was a married farmer who employed his mother. Carl spent his first two years in orphanages.

He was then adopted by a typographer named Carl Theodor Dreyer and his wife. Carl was named after his adoptive father. His adoptive parents did not show much affection. He later said they often reminded him to be thankful for what he had.

Carl was a very smart student. He left home and school when he was 16 years old. He grew distant from his adoptive family. However, their lessons influenced the ideas in many of his films.

Dreyer had traditional ideas about society. He believed in small, steady changes rather than big, sudden revolutions. He thought revolutions often slowed down progress.

Carl Theodor Dreyer died in Copenhagen at age 79. He passed away from pneumonia. A documentary called Carl Th. Dreyer: My Metier shares memories from people who knew him.

Carl Theodor Dreyer's Film Career

Early Films and Challenges

When he was young, Dreyer worked as a journalist. He later started working in the film industry. He wrote title cards for silent movies. These were texts shown on screen during silent films. He also wrote screenplays, which are scripts for movies.

Dreyer was first hired by a company called Nordisk Film in 1913. His first attempts at directing films were not very successful. So, he left Denmark to work in the French film industry. In France, he met other artists like Jean Cocteau.

In 1928, he made his first classic film, The Passion of Joan of Arc. He used real court records from Joan of Arc's trial. He created a powerful film that showed strong emotions. It combined realistic scenes with artistic expression.

Because the Danish film industry was having money problems, Dreyer needed private funding. A man named Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg helped him make his next film. This was Vampyr (1932), a dream-like movie about fear. It focused on mood and atmosphere rather than strict logic. The story was about a man protecting two sisters from a vampire.

Both The Passion of Joan of Arc and Vampyr did not make much money. Dreyer did not direct another movie until World War II.

Later Career and Famous Works

By 1943, Denmark was under Nazi occupation. Dreyer's film Day of Wrath was about the fear around witch hunts in the 1600s. This was a time when religious leaders had a lot of power. With this film, Dreyer developed his unique style for sound films. This included careful shots, clear black-and-white filming, and very long takes.

Dreyer made two short documentary films over the next decade. His next full-length movie was in 1955. This was Ordet (The Word), based on a play by Kaj Munk. The film tells a love story and explores conflicts about faith.

Dreyer's last film was Gertrud in 1964. Some people think it's not as good as his earlier films. However, it was a fitting end to his career. It's about a woman who never regrets her life choices, even through difficulties.

Film critic David Thomson believes Gertrud is Dreyer's best film. He quoted Dreyer, who said: "What interests me...is showing the feelings of the characters in my films." Dreyer wanted to capture not just what actors said, but also their deepest thoughts and feelings. He cared more about understanding people than about film techniques.

Dreyer had a big project he never finished: a film about Jesus. He wrote a script for it, which was published in 1968. But money problems and Dreyer's desire for perfection meant the film was never made before he died.

Carl Theodor Dreyer's Films

Feature films

Short films

• Good Mothers (Mødrehjælpen, 12 min, 1942)
• Water from the Land (Vandet på landet, 1946)
• The Struggle Against Cancer (Kampen mod kræften, 15 min, 1947)
• The Danish Village Church (Landsbykirken, 14 min, 1947)
• They Caught the Ferry (De nåede færgen, 11 min, 1948)
• Thorvaldsen (10 min, 1949)
• The Storstrom Bridge (Storstrømsbroen, 7 min, 1950)
• The Castle Within the Castle (Et Slot i et slot, 1955)

See also

In Spanish: Carl Theodor Dreyer para niños