Silent film from Danish director Carl Theodore Dreyer. Benjamin Christensen stars as 'The Master', a famous painter. Celebrated for his portrait of a young male student called Mikael (Walter Slezak), 'The Master' accepts the plaudits but he is tormented inside by his strong feelings towards Mikael. When both men fall out over the affections of a woman (Nora Gregor) and 'The Master' mysteriously dies, Mikael is accused of his murder.