Lars von Trier’s Breaking the Waves (1996) is one of the most haunting and emotionally devastating films of the 1990s. It combines raw realism, religious allegory, and von Trier’s experimental style to tell the story of love, faith, and sacrifice. Below you’ll find a full breakdown of the movie, its themes, production, and legacy.
Detailed Summary
Bess and Jan
The film is set in the 1970s Scottish Highlands, in a rigid Calvinist community. We meet Bess McNeill (Emily Watson in a career-defining role), a deeply religious yet emotionally fragile woman. Bess falls in love with Jan Nyman (Stellan Skarsgård), a Norwegian oil rig worker. Their marriage is frowned upon by the local church elders, who see outsiders as corrupting influences.
Jan’s Accident
Jan returns to work on the oil rig shortly after the wedding, leaving Bess lonely and yearning for his presence. In her prayers, she speaks directly to God—answering herself in His voice, revealing her childlike but intense spirituality. Tragedy strikes when Jan suffers a terrible accident on the rig, leaving him paralyzed.
The “Sacrifice” Request
Unable to be intimate with Bess anymore, Jan urges her to take other lovers and describe the encounters to him, believing this will keep their love alive and give him a reason to survive. Bess, torn between devotion to Jan and the strict moral codes of her community, reluctantly agrees. She begins to see this as a test of her faith—believing that sacrificing her own purity might save Jan’s life.
Bess’s Decline
As Bess descends deeper into this self-destructive path, she encounters violence, degradation, and rejection from her community. Despite her suffering, she remains convinced that she is acting out of divine love. The narrative is broken into chapter-like segments, introduced with painterly shots accompanied by 1970s rock ballads, giving the film an almost biblical rhythm.
Movie Ending
The ending of Breaking the Waves is both tragic and transcendent. Bess, ostracized and mentally unraveling, takes Jan’s request to an extreme. She goes to a ship where she is brutally assaulted by sailors. Her battered body is later found onshore, and the elders of the church deny her a proper burial, labeling her sinful and unworthy.
But von Trier shifts the perspective: Bess’s death is framed as an act of ultimate sacrifice, elevating her to near-sainthood. In the final scene, Jan miraculously recovers enough to walk again, suggesting Bess’s suffering has achieved a divine miracle. The film closes with one of the most striking images in modern cinema—church bells ringing in the sky, despite no physical bells existing. It’s an ambiguous yet powerful suggestion that Bess’s spirit has been sanctified, and that heaven acknowledges her sacrifice.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Breaking the Waves does not include any post-credits scenes. The film concludes with the ethereal sound of the bells, and the credits roll without any additional material.
Type of Movie
The film is a romantic drama infused with religious allegory and Dogme 95-style realism. It blends intimate character study with spiritual themes, making it both deeply personal and mythic in scope.
Cast
- Emily Watson as Bess McNeill
- Stellan Skarsgård as Jan Nyman
- Adrian Rawlins as Dr. Richardson
- Sandra Voe as Mother
- Jonathan Hackett as Priest
- Udo Kier as Sadistic Sailor
Emily Watson’s performance as Bess is particularly noteworthy—she was relatively unknown at the time, yet she earned universal acclaim and multiple award nominations.
Film Music and Composer
The score is unconventional. Instead of a traditional composer-driven soundtrack, von Trier uses 1970s rock classics (such as tracks by David Bowie, Elton John, and Deep Purple) as chapter introductions. The songs create a striking contrast with the bleak narrative and ground the story in its era.
Filming Locations
The film was primarily shot in the Scottish Highlands, around the Isle of Skye. The stark, natural landscapes reinforce the isolation and severity of Bess’s community while contrasting with her inner warmth and faith.
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Awards and Nominations
- Grand Prix at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival
- Emily Watson won the Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Actress and was nominated for an Academy Award
- Multiple nominations across BAFTA, Golden Globes, and European Film Awards
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Emily Watson was cast just two weeks before shooting began after Helena Bonham Carter dropped out.
- Lars von Trier broke traditional filmmaking rules by using handheld cameras and natural lighting, creating a raw and documentary-like aesthetic.
- The movie marked the first part of von Trier’s “Golden Heart Trilogy,” followed by The Idiots (1998) and Dancer in the Dark (2000).
Inspirations and References
- Inspired by Scottish Calvinist culture, von Trier weaves in elements of Christian martyrdom and saintly sacrifice.
- The story mirrors religious parables, particularly themes of Christ-like suffering and redemption.
- The chapter-style presentation recalls literary novels and biblical texts.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
Von Trier considered a bleaker ending where Jan did not recover, but ultimately chose to juxtapose Bess’s tragic fate with a miraculous twist. Deleted material included extended scenes of Bess’s interactions with townsfolk, which were cut to sharpen the focus on her spiritual journey.
Book Adaptations and Differences
Breaking the Waves is not based on a novel, but its structure and allegorical themes make it feel novelistic. Later, the story was adapted into an opera (2006), which emphasized the mythic and religious dimensions even more strongly.
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Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Bess praying and answering herself in God’s voice.
- The shocking moment Jan urges Bess to be with other men.
- The brutal ship sequence leading to Bess’s death.
- The miraculous bell-ringing finale.
Iconic Quotes
- Bess: “You’ve made me the happiest woman on earth.”
- Bess (to God): “It’s me who talks to You. Do I have to speak louder?”
- Jan: “If you love me, you’ll do it.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The final bell-ringing scene echoes von Trier’s fascination with blending realism and surrealism, hinting at transcendence beyond human perception.
- The chapter paintings reference Romantic landscape art, emphasizing beauty in contrast to human suffering.
- The strict elders resemble an exaggerated version of Dogme 95’s manifesto—rejecting excess, yet becoming cruel in their rigidity.
Trivia
- Emily Watson had never acted in a film before this role.
- Von Trier’s crew often improvised lighting by bouncing natural light off sheets, creating a raw visual style.
- The film polarized audiences at Cannes but still won the Grand Prix.
Why Watch?
If you want a film that challenges, devastates, and lingers long after the credits, Breaking the Waves is essential. It’s not light viewing, but it’s one of the boldest explorations of faith, love, and sacrifice in cinema history.
