As Preben Frank’s detailed accounts for the film show, the crew began work on 4 July 1946 and completed it in mid-October, though the lion’s share of the exteriors were in the can by 1 August.
The crew filmed in the following locations: Hover Church in Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality, Holmstrup Church near Jyderup on Zealand, Sludstup Church near Slagelse, Sæby Church near Roskilde, most likely in Sørbymagle Church near Slagelse, in Skelby Church near Herlufmagle, in Tveje-Merløse Church near Holbæk, in Hedared Church in Borås Municipality, Sweden, and at the Danish Open Air Museum. The music and narration were recorded and mixed in the period from January to July 1947.
The film appears to have been budgeted at 34,530 kroner and ended up costing 43,000 kroner.
In a letter of 10 July 1946 to Bjørn Moe of Dansk Kulturfilm, Dreyer, writing from the Grand Hotel in Ringkøbing, reports that Frank had fallen off a ladder that day and broken a "tarsal bone." This is likely to have delayed the shoot for a few days.
On Dreyer’s initiative, a number of costumes from Day of Wrath were reused, on loan from Palladium, including minister’s robes, choirboy and peasant costumes, a bailiff’s and a jailer’s costume, and many more.
Frank’s accounts show that Dreyer took his wife along on the shoot around the country.
By Lisbeth Richter Larsen | 03. June