A Danish veteran back from war with Germany in the mid-18^th century is on a mission to tame the brutal Jutland heath by turning it into fertile land. The idea is a pet project of the Danish king; when the soldier, Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) offers to fund the project from his war pension, officials cynically agree. Should he succeed, he will become a Danish noble with a title, a manor and servants.

We make plans and God laughs, says the writer and director Nikolaj Arcel. He first collaborated with Mikkelsen in 2012 in The Royal Affair which was set at a similar time in Danish history and was equally magnificent in its themes of ambition and madness.

The Jutland heath was a place of wildness, a barren wasteland occupied by outlaws and Taters – descendants of Romany gypsies who speak a Latinate patois. There is also a missionary church led by the sweet-faced pastor Anton Eklund (Gustav Lindh) who helps Kahlen by handing on two runaways he has been sheltering, Anna Barbara (Amanda Collin from Raised by Wolves) and her husband Johannes (Morton Hee Andersen). They had fled the estate of nobleman Frederik de Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), a weak and evil drunkard whose delusions of grandeur in his eyes make him the owner of the heath on which Kahlen wants to farm.

The story is complex and takes some investment as Kahlen, the unrecognised bastard son of a servant woman and estate owner, is in turns humiliated and courted by de Schinkel, a man unaccustomed to being denied. When de Schinkel arrives with leftovers from a banquet and a purse full of money, Kahlen accepts then returns them in disgust at having let himself be bought. The landscape darkens, with a scene of extraordinary cruelty that deserves an audience warning for the squeamish.

Yet Kahlen stays in the log home he calls King’s House, believing in his right to build on the land of the Danish king. When one option is taken away, he finds another and for a time has the Taters helping him burn the land ahead of sowing the resistant German crop in which he has such faith, the humble potato.

Everything, including nature, conspires against him and Kahlen’s grim determination starts raising larger questions about the price he will pay to become a noble.

It is at heart a love story that takes many forms. It’s a psychodrama about a man’s journey to find himself, and also a riveting fight between wrong and right as an unscrupulous nobleman tries to claim what is not his. In short, it’s a lot.

But this forbidding and magnificent drama has at its disposal Mads Mikkelsen’s face which, in repose, is one of the wonders of cinema for the depth it conveys of hidden pain and purpose. His tour de force performance, older and greyer than we have seen him, is the rock on which this quintessentially Danish saga stands.

The Promised Land is in cinemas now.

A staff report

“Casablanca,” directed by Michael Curtiz and released in 1942, remains a cinematic gem cherished by audiences and critics alike. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this classic romance-drama unfolds in the exotic Moroccan city of Casablanca, a haven for refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe.

The film stars Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine, a cynical American expatriate and nightclub owner, whose world-weary demeanor conceals a deep sense of morality. His life takes a dramatic turn when his former lover, Ilsa Lund (played by Ingrid Bergman), re-enters his life with her husband, resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). As political tensions rise and personal dilemmas intensify, Rick is faced with difficult choices that test his principles and define his destiny.

“Casablanca” is celebrated for its impeccable storytelling, memorable dialogue, and stellar performances. Bogart’s portrayal of Rick Blaine is iconic, capturing both the character’s toughness and vulnerability. Ingrid Bergman shines as the enigmatic Ilsa, torn between love and duty. The film’s supporting cast, including Claude Rains as the charmingly corrupt Captain Renault and Dooley Wilson as the soulful pianist Sam, adds depth and richness to the narrative.

The film’s cinematography, evocative of film noir with its shadowy interiors and smoky atmosphere, enhances the mood of intrigue and romance. Max Steiner’s haunting musical score, highlighted by the timeless melody of “As Time Goes By,” underscores the emotional depth of the story.

Beyond its cinematic achievements, “Casablanca” resonates as a poignant exploration of love, sacrifice, and redemption amidst the turmoil of war. Its themes of honor, patriotism, and the power of personal integrity remain relevant and compelling to this day.

As a classic of American cinema, “Casablanca” continues to captivate audiences with its timeless charm and universal appeal. Whether revisiting it or experiencing it for the first time, this film promises an unforgettable journey into the heart of one of cinema’s greatest love stories and moral dilemmas.

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‘I want to become a cicada’

Tomoto Jin’ei’s “Melt” is a short with two sides, much like the tennis ball on which the sister half of the sibling duo draws their parents’ faces. A short, poetic lament on a situation, this sees two young adults remain positive in a bleak situation.

A nameless brother and sister are approaching adulthood, yet seem to laze their days, while their parents are out for long hours, working or partying; only ever arguing when both are at home. This has become a house without love, as the parents’ stresses are deflected on to each other and their children. The siblings, therefore, spend the hot summer days lounging around, playing, but also enjoying each other’s company when out of the house. Home is where the hatred is.

With some beautiful cinematography, this is a film where the outside world is bright, colourful and eventful, while home is a dark and brooding place. Jin’ei portrays a home where smiles start immediately on leaving, with sadness returning to faces the minute they walk through the door.

Drawing her parents’ faces on either side of a tennis ball shows the children both playing favorites, but a couple no longer working as a single unit. Their father is often out drunk with much younger women – a known secret – and so their mother is tired from work, but unloved at home. From the children’s perspectives, they see two adults who are constantly behaving badly, drunk or angry, and taking out their frustrations on them. They want to run away from it all.

From the parents’ side, however, they see their children at working age, but spending their days lounging around, contributing little but microwave meals. The mother particularly elicits some sympathy as her husband runs around with women less than half her age.

The theme of “Melt,” therefore, is escape, or melting away. The children want the freedom a transient life brings: live free and die young. The final scene sees them release a paper boat into the ocean. Laughing as they do, they want to just disappear. Laugh, as the world around you melts.