Not an uplifting film. This was among the first Bergman films I’d ever seen and it is still a remarkable piece of work. Two sisters and a faithful maid slowly watch a third sister die, then think about some of the troubling moments from their lives. Then… oh, who am I kidding… I can’t synopsize this film. Any attempt to do it makes it sound like nothing happens or the movie is just crazy. I will say this, though, whether or not the movie takes place in old time Sweeden or on another planet is a perfectly valid discussion. The surreal atmosphere and otherwordly tone (and look) is a good percentage of what makes this movie so effective.
Let’s talk about the look. The above photo does no justice. The Critereon’s print is marvelous. As a young turk I used to only get jazzed about cinematography when the movie was a filled with fiesty tracking shots, or action set pieces or natural locations. While this still speaks to me I’ve lately been taking pleasure in elegent interior lighting setups. This is one of Sven Nykvist’s masterworks – certainly his best work in color. The White Stripes owe everything to this movie.
