Directed by Lars Von Trier. 177 minutes.
Starring Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Chloe Sevigny, Philip Baker Hall, Stellan Skarsgard, Patricia Clarkson, Lauren Becall, Ben Gazzara, Udo Kier, James Caan, Harriet Anderson, Jeremy Davies, and John Hurt. Released by Lions Gate Films.
Lars Von Trier’s incendiary, provocative epic-length Dogville is a fascinating blend of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” and Clint Eastwood’s High Plains Drifter. Set in the Depression in the remote mountain town in Colorado, the film is a mesmerizing mixture of philosophical ideas. Set on a sound stage, the film’s look is remarkably spartan, yet Von Trier makes up for the lack of visual splendor with remarkable performances, creativity with what is available (a trademark of Dogme 95, the group he once helped launched), and fierce statements about human nature and, perhaps, America, which has fueled some anger over the film by critics who have proclaimed it “un-American.”
Never is a moment wasted in the film’s near three-hour length, which is broken up into nine chapters, much like Von Trier’s previous Breaking the Waves was. It would be logical to assume that sitting in a theater watching what is essentially an epic play on stage on film would become tiresome or fearfully dull after a while, but Dogville is never anything less than fascinating. Though, at first, the sets, which are comprised of chalk outlines on the stage that are supposed to represent houses with writing in their center that describes whose home it is (letting you see through the houses both figuratively and literally), need to be adapted to, as well as the actors pretending to open nonexistent doors with the accompanying noise on the soundtrack, after several minutes, you easily forget that you are watching a sound stage and invest yourself into the lives of the townspeople.
There are a garden variety of people in need in Dogville. Not only are they plagued by the Depression, but many of them lack hope as well. Patricia Clarkson and Stellan Skarsgard are Vera and Chuck, a couple that has fallen out of love and has seven progeny. Lauren Becall is Ma Ginger, the local shopkeeper who produces goods that the townspeople cannot afford to buy. Jeremy Davies and Chloe Sevigny are brother and sister. Sevigny is the only young woman in town and is ogled by all the men, while her brother lacks intelligence. Ben Gazzara is a blind man that will not admit his ailment. Philip Baker Hall is a retired physician that is a hypochondriac and his son is Paul Bettany is Tom, the town’s philosopher and aspiring writer and, for some time, the moral center of the film. John Hurt lends a sarcastic voice as the narrator of the story, often conveying emotions that cannot be put to words for the characters.
One night as he is out walking about town, Tom hears gunshots and, moments later, discovers Grace (Nicole Kidman), a beautiful fugitive sneaking into town. She tells him that she is on the run from gangsters and he helps her hide. Moments later, a mysterious car pulls into the town and a man that is hidden behind a curtain gives Tom a card, telling him to call if he sees a woman on the lam. The next day Tom gathers the town into the local missionary and introduces Grace. Though reluctant, the townsfolk decide to shelter Grace for the time being, though she must work for them in order to stay. Things go well for a while- Grace’s assistance is appreciated by the citizens of Dogville and she even helps several characters come out the shells that the Depression has very likely caused them to retreat into.
After spending several weeks in the mountain town, outsiders begin to snoop around and the townspeople are shaken. They decide that Grace is a risk and, to make her stay worthwhile, force her to undertake hard labor. Some misunderstandings happen- a child is punished physically, a few married men make passes at Grace- and the town begins to treat their guest differently. Without describing the entire film, Grace becomes a prisoner, more psychologically than physically, to the town and the dark underbelly of Dogville begins to rear its ugly head. Scenes of emotional brutality ensue, as can be expected from a Von Trier film, much like the welcomed martyrdom of the characters in Breaking the Waves and Dancer in the Dark. At one point, Grace even ambles down the street, lugging a gigantic wheel that is chained and attached at her neck, making her resemble Christ, while the citizens leer at her.
We begin to think that the film is heading the way of all depression as Von Trier’s previous films that use female martyrdom as one of their central themes. Then, a strange thing happens. I cannot disclose specific plot elements, but I think it is safe to say that obviously the gangsters will come back into the picture at one point. The film’s central scene, which occurs over two and a half hours in, involves a conversation between Grace and James Caan, who is the boss of the gangsters. The dialogue concerns arrogance, forgiveness, and whether or not people should be held accountable for their actions, despite the specific circumstances in which they may find themselves- in this case, the Depression. The scene, which takes place in Caan’s chauffeured car, resembles a moment out of a David Lynch film. The conversation will, no doubt, infuriate many of its viewers and fascinate some others. This scene questions what should be done to the township of Dogville in order to compensate Grace for the way she was treated. She philosophizes the situation and comes up with horrifying and fascinating answers. Regardless of what side you take in the debate, it is difficult to deny the brilliance of the scene and the resulting actions taken.
Dogville is a film of ideas that succeeds greatly, mostly due to Von Trier’s uncompromising committal to the central idea that greed often overcomes goodwill when people are under pressure and unstable conditions are not excuses for acts of barbarism and cruelty. While America, where the film is set and where Von Trier has never actually ventured, may appear to be the subject of a critique here, Dogville is not anti-American propaganda as has been suggested by some. The film does not narrow its scope to the United States, but seems to be making some pretty scathing indictments of human nature worldwide. At one point, when trying to think of a name for the town in his story, Tom is told by Grace to simply call it “Dogville.” He disagrees. “It needs to be more universal,” he tells her. That’s exactly what Von Trier’s film is.