Dear Wendy (2005)

Director:

Thomas Vinterberg

Writer:

Lars von Trier (written by)

Release Date:

23 September 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

One shot is all it takes.

Plot:

A young boy in a nameless, timeless American town establishes a gang of youthful misfits united in their love of guns and their code of honor.

Plot Keywords:

Gun | Pacifist | Pacifism | Mining Town | Weapon

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Jamie Bell	...	Dick Dandelion
Bill Pullman	...	Krugsby
Michael Angarano	...	Freddie
Danso Gordon	...	Sebastian
Novella Nelson	...	Clarabelle
Chris Owen	...	Huey
Alison Pill	...	Susan
Mark Webber	...	Stevie
Trevor Cooper	...	Dick's Dad
Matthew Géczy	...	Young Officer
William Hootkins	...	Marshall Walker
Teddy Kempner	...	Mr. Salomon
Thomas Bo Larsen	...	Customer

Runtime:

105 min | Argentina:102 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Denmark | France | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:18 | Philippines:R-13 | USA:Unrated | Brazil:18 | Finland:K-15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Portugal:M/16 | Czech Republic:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13 | Denmark:15 | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:16 | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Lucky Punch

Trivia:

In Lars von Trier's script, the main characters were in their 20s. Director Thomas Vinterberg decided to change it, so they became children instead. Lars von Trier later stated that he thought the age change was a brilliant idea.

Quotes:

Dick Dandelion: The Regulations are, that the most important thing for a Dandy is never to show off his partner, whatever the provocation. We carry them as moral supports. And that's the most important thing. They may be carried, but never brandished. That would be the worst thing of all.
[contiunes as voice-over narrative]
Dick Dandelion: Not one of us were in doubt about the most important thing of all. The reason why our partners could only be fired in the darkness of the old mine and could never be exposed to full light and thereby be woken up. Because once awoken nothing could stop them from following their true nature and killing. And it was so forbidden to say that word, that we called it "loving" instead. And "loving" could never ever happen because that would be the end of it all.

Movie Connections:

References Barry Lyndon (1975)

Soundtrack:

Home in Tennessee

Criticism maybe, hardly anti-American.

I liked "Dear Wendy". It was well photographed, had good cast and the rocking soundtrack provided the light icing on a film that is both sad and happy from the inside.

It is a bit puzzling that this film has been seen as anti-American propaganda. It does criticise the American values - but so do many American films that are hardly described as anti-American. The message is even softened by placing the film in surreal, small mining town that is so detached geographically that you can almost feel the fiction. In some sense it bears resemblance to the village set on Brechtian stage in "Dogville" (compare for example the "stageness" of main street) by Lars von Trier, whose touch can be seen in "Dear Wendy", too.

It can be also seen as an anti-gun lecture - but that is just one perspective to it and in my opinion also possible to ignore.

The only turnoff is the somewhat annoying narration by the main character, that explains too much and leaves less for the viewer to ponder. I might be also giving one star too much, because the end scene, where the film picks up the pace left such a strong impression on me, and not just because of being so well shot action.