Carl Theodor Dreyer's Michael (aka Mikael, 1924) was the great Danish director's silent-screen adaptation of the novel of the same name by Herman Bang, a fellow Dane. The film was made for Ufa, Germany's government-organized film monopoly, and chosen as a project for Dreyer by Erich Pommer, production chief for a branch of Ufa called Decla-Bioscope. The works of Bang, who wrote during the last years of the 19th century, had a large following in Germany. Normally, scriptwriter Thea von Harbou (wife of director Fritz Lang) revised and approved all scripts filmed at Ufa. But the independent-minded Dreyer, who had visited Bang in his home shortly before the author's death, was having none of that. Von Harbou does receive a screen credit, but she had no real involvement with the film.

The Michael of the title, played by a young and slender Walter Slezak, is a young artist who serves as protege to a master painter Claude Zoret (Benjamin Christensen). The two live in the elaborately furnished mansion of Zoret, who lavishes every luxury upon his younger companion. After Zoret agrees to paint the portrait of a beautiful but financially troubled countess (Grete Mosheim), Michael falls in love with her and exploits his master by borrowing money in his name and selling his valuable sketches -- all so that he can provide the countess with cash. Zoret refuses to accept the truth about his young friend's betrayal and, on his deathbed, speaks the key line: "Now I can die in peace because I have seen a great love."

It is unclear what Zoret means by "great love" -- the young man's love for the countess or, perhaps, Zoret's unstated homosexual love for Michael? Dreyer scholars Jean and Dale D. Drum write that "The picture allows a homosexual interpretation but does not require it." When the film was released in the U.S. a few years later, it was variously retitled Chained and, in a none-too-subtle attempt to exploit the possible homosexual angle, The Story of the Third Sex.

Christensen, considered along with Dreyer the greatest Danish filmmaker, acted for his fellow filmmaker in a Danish tour de force that was almost shared with Asta Nielsen, then considered the country's greatest actress. Dreyer had offered her the role of the countess, but she was miffed at him because of a satirical article he had written about her and declined with the icy declaration that "I only play leads."

The great cinematographer Karl Freund, who shot most of Michael (with the equally distinguished Rudolph Mate also contributing), also plays a role in the film. Freund's part as a roly-poly art dealer was his only acting appearance in more than four decades of filmmaking.

Producer: Erich Pommer
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Screenplay: Carl Theodor Dreyer, from novel by Herman Bang, with Thea von Harbou also credited
Cinematography: Karl Freund, Rudolph Mate
Production Design: Hugo Haring
Original Music: Hans Joseph Vieth
Principal Cast: Walter Slezak (Mikael), Benjamin Christensen (Claude Zoret), Grete Mosheim (Alice Adelsskjold), Max Auzinger (Jules, the majordomo), Nora Gregor (Princess Lucia Zamikoff), Robert Garrison (Switt).
BW-93m.

by Roger Fristoe