Nevertheless, the bulk of Manderlay is a discomfiting and rewarding experience. In Dogville, Grace represented America's disenfranchised; here, she's standing for Von Trier's conception of America itself: well-meaning but dangerously ill-informed and prone to act without thinking. The climax involves Grace learning some disturbing things about Mam's Law and confronting issues she'd rather didn't exist as her experiment in social engineering collapses in on itself. Von Trier refuses to let either his characters or his audience off the hook when its comes to the thorny issues of their morality, whether it be regarding capital punishment, racial understanding or creating systems "for the good of everyone," and his film is the stronger for it.
Early in the film, Grace tells the dying Mam (Lauren Bacall), "The sins of the past are sins I do not wish to help you erase;" ironically, it's her naysaying of the past that paves the way for the sins of the future. Manderlay occasionally strays from the bull's-eye, but when it kicks, it kicks to kill.
About the DVD: This DVD has no special features. None. Not even a trailer. The picture quality is solid, and the sound is a little low in the mix but otherwise acceptable.
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Article comments
1 - Snarkattack
Good review, thorough. It sounds like this is pretty much a rewrite of Dogville so I wonder if it will have any impact on me if I choose to watch it?
I understand Von Trier is a filmmaker and all, but this Brechtian stuff is a bit...old. Uh, yeah, we got it the first time in Dogville. I mean, didn't Grace (as a character) learn anything from her stay in Dogville? In reference to coming into a small community and though she be just one person, it significantly alters the dynamics of the community, does it not? So how could she not see that this would happen in Manderley?
Hmm...
2 - Steve C.
I think the point of Manderlay is that Grace learned all the wrong lessons from her stay in Dogville. She has power and she has knowledge; the problem is assimilating these things into a workable world outlook. I know a lot od Dogville lovers who think that Von Trier ruined the character of Grace with this film; I think it's an evolution that makes sense.
And the Brechtian thing isn't as effective as it was in Dogville, but that has a lot to do with the shock of the new having worn off. (Well, that and Lars not thinking this one out as well.) Still works well enough, though. Hope he still does Wasington one day...
3 - Snarkattack
Thanks for explaining that Steve - that does make sense. So I guess it's supposed to be ironic then?
I didn't realise Von Trier planned this Dogville thing as a trilogy. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to see this film you've reviewed but if it's on cable I'll watch it.
4 - blahreview
i saw dogville and i hated it for how it made me feel. i wasnt ready for it because after a year i checked it out again and i was the opposite. i went back in von triers catalog and love his work. incredible storyteller. the brechtian style is very effective. very strong movie, this is a good review. i think one can discuss his movies in a class format. manderlay is another step forward for him and i cannont wait for the third in the installment.
5 - mindyssong
personaly i like Bryce very much but didnt think she fit this roll. as for the film along with Dogville, the message seemed to me is dont trust the poor and hungry, because they will f--- you...in these two cases ...literaly. i did like the stories, even though i wished manderlay would of eneded with the same solution. they did deserve it. all in all though, most of it was very unrealistic and and definately bore the european mind set of america. For Bryces sake, she needs to pick her rolls better.