Leaves Out of the Book of Satan (1920)
"Blade af Satans bog" (original title)

Carl Theodor Dreyer's classic silent film tells the tale of Satan's (Helge Nissen) banishment from heaven... See full synopsis »

Director:

Carl Theodor Dreyer

Writers:

Edgar Høyer (scenario by), Marie Corelli (from a novel by),

Stars:

Helge Nissen, Halvard Hoff, Jacob Texiere

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Helge Nissen	...	Satan / The Grand Inquisitor / Erneste / Ivan
Halvard Hoff	...	Jesus (first sequence)
Jacob Texiere	...	Judas (first sequence) (as Jacob Texière)
Hallander Helleman	...	Don Gomez de Castro (second sequence)
Ebon Strandin	...	Isabel - Castro's Daughter (second sequence)
Johannes Meyer	...	Don Fernandez (second sequence)
Nalle Halden	...	The Majordomo (second sequence) (as Nalle Haldén)
Tenna Kraft	...	Marie Antoinette (third sequence) (as Tenna Frederiksen Kraft)
Viggo Wiehe	...	Count de Chambord (third sequence)
Emma Wiehe	...	The Countess of Chambord (third sequence)
Jeanne Tramcourt	...	Lady Genevive de Chambord (third sequence)
Hugo Bruun	...	Count Manuel (third sequence)
Elith Pio	...	Joseph (third sequence)
Emil Helsengreen	...	The People's Commissar (third sequence)
Viggo Lindstrøm	...	Old Pitou (third sequence)

Storyline

Carl Theodor Dreyer's classic silent film tells the tale of Satan's (Helge Nissen) banishment from heaven... See full synopsis »

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Plot Keywords:

burned at the stake | 1500s | castle | passover | suicide | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

Denmark

Release Date:

24 January 1921 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Leaves Out of the Book of Satan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nordisk Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

167 min 130 min (Grapevine Video DVD) 167 min 121 min (2004 alternate)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the first films in the world that dealt with the Finnish civil war in 1918.

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Connections

Featured in Carl Th. Dreyer: My Métier (1995)

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Soundtracks

"La Marseillaise"
(1792) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
Played in the 2004 alternate version score in the third sequence mostly to accompany the actors singing it silently on-screen

User Reviews

Endless, but Fascinating

God has set a few rules for Satan. He is to provide over historical events, usually playing one of the bad guys. If things go the way we would expect, he must endure more time in the underworld. If he can find a human willing to sacrifice for good, he will get a thousand years to his credit. Unfortunately, with the Crucifixion, the Inquisition, the French Revolution, and the invasion of the Reds into Finland, there's not much for him to pad his bank account. The stories are so bleak and hopeless. Women and children are not spared, and since we pretty much know what is going to happen, little suspense. It's one of the few cinematic treatments of Marie Antoinette where she comes off as upstanding (no cake here). The upside is, naturally, that there is wonderful film-making going on here with great images and depth. One should see as many of these films as possible in order to get a sense of our film heritage. This one may have taught a lot; Dryer taught a lot.