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3.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 3.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Den ny husassistent remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you’re a fan of vintage theater-style comedies where everyone is constantly confused and hiding behind furniture, you’ll probably have a decent time. If you prefer your movies to have, you know, a steady rhythm or a plot that makes actual sense, you’re going to be reaching for the remote within twenty minutes.
It’s loud. It’s messy. It’s very very 1930s Danish.
The whole thing really rests on Olga Svendsen. She’s vibrating with this high-pitched energy that honestly makes the screen feel a bit cramped. Every time she enters a room, she brings this whirlwind of panic that feels like it belongs on a stage rather than in front of a camera. She’s great at it, but man, you start to feel tired just watching her go.
There is a specific scene where the director is trying to hide his daughter, and he ends up looking like he’s trying to swallow a lemon. It’s funny in a 'why are you doing this to yourself' kind of way.
The premise is one of those classic mix-ups that probably felt fresh a century ago. Housekeeper daughter meets housekeeper mother in the director's home. It’s all very farcical. The pacing has no middle gear; it’s either stop-and-talk or run-and-scream.
Sometimes the movie lingers on a reaction shot for so long that you start to wonder if the projectionist fell asleep. It’s weirdly charming, in a clumsy, forgotten-treasure sort of way. It doesn't have the grand scale of something like The Wizard of Oz, but that’s clearly not the point.
The sets look like they were built out of cardboard and good intentions. That’s not a knock—it adds to the feeling that if you touched the wall, the whole house would tip over. It’s a simple, silly little film that knows exactly what it is.
I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. I wouldn't even call it a 'hidden gem.' It’s more like finding an old, dusty postcard in the back of a drawer. It doesn't tell you much about the world, but it’s nice to look at for a second before you put it back.
Watch it if you want to see people running around in suits while looking deeply stressed. Avoid it if you’re having a headache. 🏠✨
