Breaking The Waves (1996)

Written by Lars von Trier, Peter Asmussen

Directed by Lars von Trier

Running Time: 159 minutes (approx)

Production Year: 1996

Rating: 18 Certificate

Production Country: Denmark / Sweden

Filmed in Colour

Oilman Jan is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when Jan urges her to have sex with another

This is a harrowing tale of a naive young woman named Bess McNeil (Emily Watson) who lives in a remote and highly religious and repressed Scottish community.

When Bess marries the love of her life, a Danish oil-rig worker named Jan (Stellan Skarsgård), her life takes on a whole new meaning as he introduces her to her adulthood.

Soon after Jan must return to his rig and Bess prays to God everyday that he returns to her for good.

However when he does return home for good things aren't quite as she had expected. He has suffered an horrific accident which has left him paralysed from the neck down leaving their sexual relationship cut horribly short.

Jan, aware of Bess' needs, starts urging Bess to take another lover and to relay all the details to him. However, as Bess becomes more and more deviant in her sexual behaviour the more she shocks and offends the community in which she lives and she is subsequently ostracised.

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Cast

Emily Watson		Bess McNeill
Stellan Skarsgård		Jan Nyman
Katrin Cartlidge		Dodo McNeill
Jean-Marc Barr		Terry
Adrian Rawlins		Dr. Richardson
Jonathan Hackett		Priest
Sandra Voe		Mother
Udo Kier		Sadistic Sailor
Mikkel Gaup		Pits
Roef Ragas		Pim
Phil McCall		Grandfather
Robert Robertson		Chairman
Desmond Reilly		An Elder
Sarah Gudgeon		Sybilla
Finlay Welsh		Coroner