Out On the Deep

Brothers Robert and Hugo lead idyllic lives on a magnificent estate by the water. Their father, the old landowner, favours Robert, while Hugo is the apple of his mother’s eye. However, Hugo is not quite the goody two-shoes he appears to be: he has borrowed money from a crooked moneylender who is now threatening to contact his father. Robert tries to help his brother, but an unfortunate mix-up leads their father to believe that it is Robert who has incurred debts and, to make matters worse, tried to steal money. Hugo suffers a sudden fit of weakness, and the doctor’s orders for absolute rest make Robert confess in order to protect his brother. He only just manages to reveal the truth to his mother before he is thrown out of the family home. When the brothers meet again after four long years, they do so on Peele Island under the rays of a flashing beacon. Here, a beautiful woman and a violent storm will lead them into yet another family tragedy. (Stumfilm.dk)

Directed by Robert Dinesen, Out On the Deep leans on a strong ensemble — Svend Kornbeck, Theodora Wolfgang Hansen, Nicolai Johannsen — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1913.