SLIFF 2017 Review – THE DIVINE ORDER

THE DIVINE ORDER (Die Gottliche Ordnung) will screen at Plaza Frontenac Cinema (Lindbergh Blvd. and Clayton Rd, Frontenac, MO 63131) as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. Tickets for the Friday, November 3rd, screening at 8pm can be purchased HERE, while tickets for the Saturday, November 4th, screening at 2:30pm can be purchased HERE.

The Swiss film THE DIVINE ORDER tells the tale of a group of ordinary Swiss women in a little village during Switzerland’s fight for women’s suffrage. The shocking part is this story takes place in early 1971, as Switzerland is gearing up for a February 1971 national referendum on giving women the vote. Yes, that is right, Swiss women were fighting for the right to vote as the rest of the Western world was immersed in Women’s Lib and the Sexual Revolution. It is a lot of catching up to do all at once.

Since American women got the vote in 1920, it is easy for us to assume Europe quickly followed. But it seems Switzerland missed out on the earlier wave of women’s rights 1900-1929. Which meant that in 1971, Switzerland was catching up on the whole ’60s – ’70s women’s liberation movement, the second time in the 20th century women took to streets to demand their rights.

There isn’t much marching in THE DIVINE ORDER but there is a good dose of comedy as first one, then a handful,, then more women in a small Swiss village catch up on half a century’s worth of women’s progress in one big bite. Ironically, it is a woman business owner (Therese Affolter) who leads the campaign to oppose giving women the vote in the upcoming national referendum. While the businesswoman solemnly cites religion and the long-held traditional belief that a “divine order” put men over women, no one mentions that her factory dominates the village’s economy and she herself wields great power. The villagers, men and women, defer to her strongly-voiced opinion on the matter

Nonetheless, one ordinary housewife, Nora (Marie Leuenberger), finally does work up the courage to say out loud what other women only think – that women should get the vote. Once it is said out loud, it opens to the door to all kinds of changes for the women – and men – in the little village.

THE DIVINE ORDER is a warm and touching feel-good movie, that is quietly comic at moments – perhaps a bit too quiet and subtle. The tone of director Petra Volpe’s film is decidedly low-key and proceeds at a deliberate pace. Nora is joined by an outspoken widow (Sibylle Brunner) and an Italian immigrant (Marta Zoffoli), and then others. Step-by-slow step, the women challenge the traditions about women’s place, and begin to explore both the feminism sweeping the world and the sexual revolution.

Nora’s husband Hans (Max Siminischek) wants to be supportive but it is a lot to take in. Plus like most of the village he works in the factory too. Gradually, the women find their voice on injustices they have experienced at home. As they do, they also form a sisterhood of sorts. One of the details the film brings out are the inequalities of marriage in Switzerland. Likewise, a rebellious teen risks prison, if her father decides that is what is needed. However, they need men’s support in this fight – as they are the ones who will vote on whether their wives (or mothers or sisters) will get to vote.

The women and their emotional bonding are what gives this story its appeal. The film features some fine performances, particularly by Marie Leuenberger. The film feels sincerely but maintains a sweet, light touch despite some serious subjects, like spousal abuse. While the women explore issues raised by the growing feminist movement (particularly in one rather comic scene with a New Age-y instructor at a women’s conference where they get in touch with their own bodies), it is notable that other topics about women’s bodies, such as birth control, are never even mentioned. At one point, the women go on strike, adding a touch of “Lysistrata” to the mix. Such scenes give the film a little sex comedy frisson, but the tone does not always feel right given the serious topics. We also we do not get much explanation on how Swiss women had remained so isolated from the rest of Europe on this issue (and text at the film’s end notes that while women won the vote in federal elections, but it was 1991 before all districts granted women the right to vote on local issues).

The film does excel in showing the power of peer pressure, particularly in a small community, and how a dominant bullying voice can wield great power, particularly when livelihoods are at stake.

THE DIVINE ORDER wraps up its tale with a feel-good ending. It is breezy, light film, despite its serious subject, but it deserves credit for bringing to light a little known fact of Swiss history.