Dancer in the Dark is a musical psychological tragedy [ 7 ] film written and directed by Lars von Trier. Dancer in the Dark is the third and final installment in von Trier's second trilogy " Golden Heart ", following Breaking the Waves and The Idiots They live a life of poverty as Selma works at a factory with her good friend Kathy, whom she nicknames Cvalda.
She rents a trailer home on the property of local police officer Bill Houston and his wife, Linda. She is romantically pursued by the shy but persistent Jeff, who also works at the factory.
Selma is gradually losing her vision due to a degenerative eye condition, but still is saving money to pay for an operation that will prevent Gene from sharing her fate. She also takes part in rehearsals for a production of The Sound of Music and accompanies Kathy to the local cinema, where together they watch Hollywood musicals, as Kathy describes them to her.
In her day-to-day life, Selma slips into daydreams, imagining herself in a musical "Cvalda". Jeff and Kathy begin to realize that Selma's vision is worse than they thought, and that she has been memorizing eye charts in order to pass vision tests and keep her job. Bill reveals to Selma that Linda's excessive spending has put the couple's house in danger of foreclosure by their bank. He has contemplated suicide but cannot bring himself to carry out the act. Selma promises to keep his secret and confides in him about her advancing vision loss.
Bill quietly stays without knowing that Selma still sees him and watches her hide her money in a tin. The next day, Selma's boss Norman believes that her eye condition has deteriorated; he accepts her resignation and pays her final wages, but promises to re-hire her once her sight has improved. However, Kathy accuses him of firing her. Not willing to get her job back, Jeff tries to escort her home by car, but she walks home along a railroad bridge instead " I've Seen It All ".
