A seemingly fragile woman named Grace (Nicole Kidman), on the run from gangsters during the Depression, seeks solace in the small mountain town of Dogville. The tight-knit community is at first wary of her presence, but the town philosopher (Paul Bettany) asks the residents to allow her to stay on a trial basis. He suggests she can perform tasks for them in exchange for their silence. Grace is agreeable to this, but little by little, the town begins taking from Grace until there is nothing left for her to give.
I know that plot summary seems vague, but the way the townsfolk of Dogville (pardon the pun) slowly show their teeth is one of the most effective parts of the movie. At three hours, it would at first seem like a slog, but writer/director Lars Von Trier keeps things moving along at a steady clip. If this was a quick ninety-minute flick, then Grace’s rise and fall in the community wouldn’t nearly have as much power. The lengths the residents go to dehumanize her is often shocking and appalling, and yet, the slow descent into depravity is a real doozy of a ride.
The reason the film is so powerful is because of the overly theatrical presentation. The set-up is very similar to Our Town. Everything happens on a bare stage, with the houses in the town outlined in chalk. That way you can see everybody going about their day. Without the comfort of walls and doors, the secrets of the town are out in the open, and because of that, it’s only a matter of time before the townsfolk reveal their true self to Grace. There is no way Dogville would’ve had the same impact if it was shot in a traditional manner. The fact that the repugnant and shameful acts happen to Grace on a barren stage for all to see hammers it all home and heightens her humiliation.
What Von Trier seems to be doing here is a clever facelift of Our Town. While Our Town was about the kind of town Americans would like to think of as their home, Dogville, with its many secrets, pent-up hate, and malevolent aggression, is about the town we’re ashamed to talk about. The flipside of Americana and warm apple pie.
It helps immensely that Von Trier assembled a murderer’s row of talent to populate the town. Bettany is good as the “aw, shucks” freethinker who is slowly revealed to be full of shit. We also have Lauren Bacall as the lady who loves her gooseberry bushes, Patricia Clarkson as the schoolmarm, Chloe Sevigny as Bettany’s former flame, Ben Gazzara as a blind man, Phillip Baker Hall as Bettany’s dad, and John Hurt as the narrator. As an added bonus, James Caan plays the sinister gangster and none other than Udo Kier is his right-hand man! However, it’s Kidman’s brave performance that holds everything together. The way she faces cruelty, abuse, and depravity, and still manages to keep on trucking is a sight to behold.
A sequel, Manderlay, followed with Bryce Dallas Howard in Kidman’s role.
No comments:
Post a Comment