1 film: Wild Strawberries
Smultronstället (English title: Wild Strawberries) (Ingmar Bergman, 1957). The aging professor Isak Borg (Victor Sjöström) takes a trip by car to an academic ceremony with his son’s wife Marianne (Ingrid Thulin) and picks up hitchhikers along the way. The old man has recurring nightmares and places he visits throw him into memories of the past and his own youth. What has happened to him, that he has become cold and uncaring, is happening to his son as well. The son Evald (Gunnar Björnstrand) is a nihilist, he says there’s no right or wrong in the world, only human needs, and this puts a strain on his marriage.
The film is filled with symbolism; the hitchhikers are a girl and two young men, a soon-to-be musician/priest (multiclass!) and a scientist/doctor. The men argue over the existence of God and seem to present two approaches to relating to women. One is hard and analytical and the other soft and emotional, and the girl of course likes them both. Helena noted that it’s not often you see a film about an old person as the main character, but it works well as his problems in life can be appreciated by any age. [9/10]
The English title is so awful compared with the Swedish! Not that I think there is a better translation, but it's always worth pointing out.
Very good movie also.
Yes, the literal translation would be something like “the wild strawberry patch” and is more telling in its double meaning in Swedish: both a literal patch, but also a favorite place of some kind, a place that means much personally to someone. In the film a wild strawberry patch makes Isak Borg remember an important event from his youth when he tried to seduce his brother's future wife, and the place is more important than the berries.
It's a very good film, but it's only my fifth favorite Bergman after The Virgin Spring, The Seventh Seal, Scenes from a Marriage and Through a Glass Darkly in that order.
Fanny och Alexander då!?
I really have to see it again.
Meh. (^_^)
Or rather, it's one of those films I've only seen parts of on television sometime. I know they dance a Christmas long-dance and one of the men hit on the maids, but not much more. I'll schedule it for a full viewing, and I'm sure it's good. Thanks for reminding me.