Ansiktet

Kasvot. SE 1958. PC: Svensk Filmindustri. D+SC: Ingmar Bergman. DP: Gunnar Fischer. Starring Max von Sydow (Albert Emanuel Vogler), Ingrid Thulin (Manda Vogler / Aman), Gunnar Björnstrand (Dr. Vergérus, Minister of Health), Erland Josephson (Consul Egerman), Gertrud Fridh (Ottilia Egerman), Toivo Pawlo (Police Superintendent Starbeck), Ulla Sjöblom (Henrietta Starbeck), Åke Fridell (Tubal), Bibi Andersson (Sara), Bengt Ekerot (Johan Spegel), Lars Ekborg (Simson). 100 min. Vintage print with Finnish subtitles. Viewed at Cinema Orion, Helsinki, 17 June 2008. - Beautiful definition of light in the print that looks like it's struck from the negative. - My previous impression was that this is light and artificial entertainment compared with Bergman's best films. Now I tend to see the strong sides only. - Yes, this is an entertainment film, an excursion into the mystery, horror, and fantasy side of life that always fascinated Bergman. - The theme of the Laterna Magica. The world of The Magic Flute. Tubal and Sara as Papageno and Papagena. - The Caligari influence in the mask of Vogler (a Caligari who looks like Cesare), the mute magnetist who starts to speak at 65 minutes of the film's duration. - Confessions as in Enskilda samtal ("my man died eight years ago").