Gertrud is a 1964 film from Denmark directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer.
The setting is the early years of the 20th century (the film is based on a 1906 play). Gertrud is a former opera singer, and the wife of lawyer and up-and-coming politician Gustav Kanning. Gustav delivers the news that he is getting tabbed for a Cabinet post, but Gertrud rains on his parade by telling him that she wants a divorce.
It seems that the marriage has been passionless for some time, and Gertrud, tired of being a Trophy Wife, has been cheating on her husband. She is having an intense affair with Erland Jannson, a young concert pianist. Also complicating things is the arrival in town of Gabriel Lidman, an old lover of Gertrud's before her marriage, who has returned to Stockholm after three years abroad
Carl Th. Dreyer's last film.
Tropes:
- As You Know: Gustav feels compelled to remind his wife of hers and Gabriel's jobs, saying "You were an artist, and he was a famous poet."
- Distant Finale: A finale set decades later shows Gertrud in Paris, meeting her old platonic friend Axel, talking about how she's content with her choices and content with being alone, and how love is the only thing that matters.
- Door-Closes Ending: The film ends with Gertrud closing the door to her office.
- Fainting: Gertrud is asked to sing a song for the Vice Chancellor, with Erland accompanying on piano—this right after she's learned that Erland is cheating on her. She faints partway through.
- Flashback
- A flashback shows the scene where Gertrud says she knew she was in love with Erland, when she went over to his apartment to rehearse a song.
- Another flashback shows the moment Gertrud and Gabriel's relationship ended, when she saw a memo on his desk where he wrote that the love of a woman is the enemy of an artist's career.
- Headbutt of Love: Erland and Gertrud do this when she tells him that before, she couldn't be with him because she was married, but she's getting a divorce so "now I can be."
- Inner Monologue: From Gustav, as he goes to the theater, thinking about how he's been neglecting his wife and needs to pay her more attention.
- Leave the Camera Running: This film only has 89 shots in a 111-minute movie. There are several long takes. Gertrud's breakup scene with Erland runs five minutes without a cut, and her talk with Gabriel when they talk about their past and he reveals Erland's perfidy, runs ten minutes without a cut.
- Let the Past Burn: Once he's convinced that Gertrud really is leaving him, Gustav flings her picture into the fire.
- Malicious Misnaming: It's implied that Gustav has a hunch of what his wife is up to, when he not only randomly mentions Jannson the pianist, but also calls him "Erhard".
- Old Flame: Gertrud's old lover Gabriel returns after years away, and approaches her about starting things up again.
- Old Flame Fizzle: Gertrud refuses Gabriel's entreaties to run away with him, saying "How could you believe we could breathe life into what's dead and buried?"
- Rom Com Job: It's not a comedy, but still—Gertrud is an opera singer, and her two lovers are a classical pianist and a poet.
- Sexless Marriage: Gustav complains that not only has Gertrud not let him into her room for a month, she won't even let him kiss her on the lips anymore. That's when she tells him that she wants a divorce.
- Sexy Silhouette: Gertrud's silhouette is shown as she removes her upper garments, getting ready for sex, while Erland plays piano.
- Smoking Is Glamorous: Invoked when Gertrud, as she leaves her lover Erland, takes a cigarette out of her mouth and puts it into his.
