Michael
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Year Released: 1924
Rating: 2.0
An older painter - the "Father" - loses his "Son" (the title character) to a Princess that he has trouble capturing on canvas; it isn't a stretch to suggest that the "Father's" attachment to the young man is more than platonic. While Dreyer is known for being austere and rigid, this is entirely too rigid to work properly - it tries to suggest intensity through close-ups of piercing stares but comes across as silent soap opera. It does contain one charming bit where the Son takes the Princess to his room ... to show her his movie-themed action figures. Considering Dreyer's self-obsession and gloom, it's a rare light moment.
