In desperation brought on by near-starvation, Helge Roos kills his master's ox and feeds it to his wife and baby daughter. No-one suspects anything until the meat is finished and Helge ... See full summary »
Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.
If your account is linked with Facebook and you have turned on sharing, this will show up in your activity feed. If not, you can turn on sharing
here
.
In desperation brought on by near-starvation, Helge Roos kills his master's ox and feeds it to his wife and baby daughter. No-one suspects anything until the meat is finished and Helge tries to sell the hide at a local market. He is spotted by the local vicar and, wracked with guilt, confesses. The vicar assures him that if he gives himself up, he'll be treated leniently, but Helge's sentence is far harsher than anyone predicted... Written by
Michael Brooke <michael@everyman.demon.co.uk>
In desperation, Helge Roos (Stellan Skarsgård) kills one of his employer's oxen to feed his starving wife and baby. He soon regrets it. After covering up his crime successfully, he is convinced by the local clergyman (Max von Sydow) to confess, creating unexpected results. The clergyman, with the help of the employer's wife (Liv Ullman), then try to convince the employer, who claims to have been fond of Helge (but obviously not enough to help him) to forgive Helge. The mood is sombre and sad with many very tender moments. Many of the characters, out of desperation, act out of conflicting motives. The screenplay, cinematography, direction and acting are superb.
15 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
In desperation, Helge Roos (Stellan Skarsgård) kills one of his employer's oxen to feed his starving wife and baby. He soon regrets it. After covering up his crime successfully, he is convinced by the local clergyman (Max von Sydow) to confess, creating unexpected results. The clergyman, with the help of the employer's wife (Liv Ullman), then try to convince the employer, who claims to have been fond of Helge (but obviously not enough to help him) to forgive Helge. The mood is sombre and sad with many very tender moments. Many of the characters, out of desperation, act out of conflicting motives. The screenplay, cinematography, direction and acting are superb.