Master of the House opened in Denmark on 5 October 1925 and got a positive reception. The premiere screening, critics reported, was followed by loud applause from the audience. The film ran for three weeks at Palads. The critic for København singles out Dreyer’s sense of detail and the casting, "Carl Th. Dreyer before has revealed that he understands that the art of cinema takes passion – famously in 'Michael' – and in this film he has wandered farther in that understanding. He is extremely consumed with details, with the seemingly insignificant – and precisely through that he achieves an artistic whole that captivates and interests from start to finish. Now he also knows how to pick his people with understanding…." (6 Oct. 1925).
Overall, very little column space is devoted to the film, but the critics unanimously praise the performances by the actors, especially Mathilde Nielsen.
Roughly six months later, on 26 March 1926, Master of the House opened in Paris and in 72 provincial French cinemas – to enthusiastic reviews. This, his seventh film, gave Dreyer his first real taste of popular success.
By Lisbeth Richter Larsen | 03. June