Ingmar bergman, the heartchilling genius of swedish films, is one of the. Smiles of a summer night program note, art film publications, pauline kael, 1962. In smiles of a summer night, men are clearly related to death, just observe the lawyer egerman playing russian roulette or his son henrik trying to commit suicide. The film deals with themes that would continue to occupy bergmans work throughout his career such as.
After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the 1955 comedy smiles of a summer night at last ushered in an international audience for ingmar bergman. I have chosen this indirect way of backing into a look at smiles of a summer night 1955, a film that acted as an artistic and professional turning point. When i saw it was smiles of a summer night i couldnt believe my eyes. Smiles of a summer night what i watched last night. Ingmar bergmans 1955 comedy smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende was the film that first garnered him international recognition. That smiles of a summer night is a tale of romantic folly is evident as the plot develops in the first third of the film. Smiles of a summer night is the film that brought bergman to a wide international audience. Comedys not something one routinely associates with bergman but actually, hes done a couple of good ones across his life as film director the devils eye in. The inspiration for woody allens a midsummer nights sex comedy and steven sondheims a little night music, bergmans smiles is an erotic, nostalgic jab at upperclass sexual repression and marital dysfunction. And the film does this while being a complete joy to watch.
Winner of a surprise award at the cannes film festival for best poetic humor, smiles of a summer night is a delightful comedy of sexual manners set in turnofthecentury sweden. Comedys not something one routinely associates with bergman but actually, hes done a couple of good ones across his life as film director the devils eye in 1960 and his filming of mozarts the magic flute in 1975. Smiles of a summer night urgent text directed by ingmar bergman starring ulla jacobsson, eva dahlbeck, harriet andersson, margit carlqvist, and gunnar bjornstrand 1955 in the course of a white night in midsummer 1901, stuffy lawyer gunnar bjornstrand, despite virginal new wife ulla jacobsson, tries to renew his romance with stage star eva dahlbeck. It revolves around a love dodecahedron in sweden around the turn of the century. Ingmar bergman aces both, delivering a film packed with. Ulla jacobsson anne egerman eva dahlbeck desiree armfeldt harriet andersson petra margit carlqvist countess charlotte malcolm gunnar bjornstrand fredrik egerman jarl kulle count carlmagnus malcolm ake fridell frid bjorn bjelfvenstam henrik egerman naima wifstrand mrs. Smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende is a 1955 swedish film written and directed by ingmar bergman. Smiles of a summer night is as delightful a romantic roundelay as has ever been made in world cinema. At a turnofthecentury country estate, eight men and womeninvited for a summer weekendembark on frenzied rounds of. It is in every way a charming film that bergman fans will enjoy. Smiles of a summer night is the opening feature in criterions ingmar bergman set, and for very good reason.
Smiles of a summer night is a pretty edgy film, touching with great candor subject matters somewhat taboo today. Smiles of a summer night the current the criterion. Incidentally, smiles of a summer night was successfully translated to the stage as the musical. Smiles of a summer night by dan schneider eclectica. The passion of ingmar bergman program, cinematheque ontarioa division of toronto international film festival group, bart testa, 2005. Sep 03, 2017 though in keeping with the films mixed moods, the ending might be better described as playful rather than happy. In smiles of a summer night, boudoir farce becomes lyric poetry. Smiles of a summer night is as delightful a romantic roundelay as. Despite smiles of a summer night commencing production while ingmar bergman was in the depths of one of the most depressing portions of his life, this is a delightful romantic comedy. During a weekend in the country, the women collude to force the mens hands in matters of the heart, exposing their pretensions and. Anderson, combustible celluloid in turnofthecentury sweden, four men and four women attempt to navigate the laws of attraction. Dec 14, 2008 swedish trailer for ingmar bergmans smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende, 1955. Swedish director ingmar bergman was not known for the hilarity of his films, but this melancholytinged comedy has plenty of amusing moments, as well as the keen.
Jun 15, 2015 smiles of a summer night is the film that brought bergman to a wide international audience. It would be a couple of years before the seventh seal. Smiles of a summer night is a 1955 swedish comedy film written and directed by ingmar bergman. This is certainly one of the great sex comedies and certain to be a good introduction to bergman for those concerned about some of his tougher films. Rent smiles of a summer night 1955 starring ulla jacobsson and eva dahlbeck on dvd and bluray. Smiles of a summer night was made after bergman directed a stage production of the merry widow, and he gave the film a turnofthecentury setting. Smiles of a summer night the current the criterion collection. February 4, 2016 tags ingmar bergman, smiles of a summer night screenplay, smiles of a summer night script ingmar bergman movie scripts a few directors have exerted so much influence on cinema as ingmar bergman, described by woody allen as the greatest film artist since the invention of motion picture camera.
Summer with monika 1953 had some success, oddly, as softcore porn, although it didnt qualify. The film deals with themes that would continue to occupy bergmans work. There is the often comic first half of fanny and alexander 1983. So it would make sense that smiles of a summer night, a romantic comedy, would be simply wonderful. In the next few years, a kind of bergman fever swept over the international film scene.
May 03, 2011 late in 1955, ingmar bergman made a nearly perfect workthe exquisite carnal comedy smiles of a summer night. This film is a romantic comedy opposing women and men or rather life and death. In 1973, smiles of a summer night was reworked into a broadway musical called. Reportedly, the film was submitted to the cannes film festival without bergmans knowledge. Smiles of a summer night may start as farce, but it ends as a loving tribute to anyone mystified, enchanted and undone by lust and frustration. Swedish director ingmar bergman was not known for the hilarity of. Late in 1955, ingmar bergman made a nearly perfect workthe exquisite carnal comedy smiles of a summer night. As for smiles of a summer night, the situation was simply that i needed another success. Jan 31, 2012 i have chosen this indirect way of backing into a look at smiles of a summer night 1955, a film that acted as an artistic and professional turning point. He found out through the newspaper that everyone was talking about his own film. With ulla jacobsson, harriet andersson and gunnar bjornstrand. Though the film is most often remembered as a comedy, bergman has admitted. Smiles of a summer night 1955 letterboxd social film. Sommarnattens leende smiles of a summer night is a 1955 swedish comedy film directed by ingmar bergman.
Smiles of a summer night was a remarkable success at the 1956 cannes film festival in keeping with bergmans prediction that i thought it was time for a boxoffice success, and though everyone disagreed with me, i was convinced that this picture would succeed. It was adapted as the stephen sondheim musical a little night music, and loosely parodied in woody allens a midsummer night s sex comedy. After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the 1955 comedy smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende at last ushered in an international audience for ingmar bergman. Swedish trailer for ingmar bergmans smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende, 1955. In this sex comedy, a group of upperclass couples drift apart and come back together over the course of a midsummer night sleepover. Focusing on themes such as vice, virtue, temptation, lust and loyalty, this film isnt afraid to.
In turnofthecentury sweden, four men and four women attempt to navigate the laws of attraction. Smiles of a summer night dvd, 2004 for sale online ebay. Smiles of a summer night distributor materials, janus films, 1973. To describe ingmar bergmans smiles of a summer night as not quite a sex farce is to capture its unique blend of comic sophistication and slightly melancholic resignation. It was the distillation of elements he had worked with for several years, in the 1952 secrets of women originally called waiting women, the 1954 a lesson in love, and the early 1955 dreams. After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the 1955 comedy smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende at last ushered in an international audience for ingmar. In sweden at the turn of the century, members of the upper class and their. Smiles of a summer night brink of life wexner center. Smiles of a summer night film by bergman britannica. Smiles of a summer night is an enchanting comedy of manners with a satirical edge. Other articles where smiles of a summer night is discussed. The wittiest, most daring romantic comedy of the year, starring four of swedens most beautiful actr. Smiles of a summer night 1955 the criterion collection.
Oct 05, 2018 however, while bergman typically dedicates an entire film to the intense inner turmoil of one or two characters, in smiles there are many characters struggling with anxieties that are often exploited to a farcical end. Sommarnattens leende is a 1955 swedish comedy film written and directed by ingmar bergman. It would be a couple of years before the seventh seal and wild strawberries cemented his reputation as an international film auteur, but looking back on this film half a century later and half a world away only shows how different tastes in humor can be. February 4, 2016 tags ingmar bergman, smiles of a summer night screenplay, smiles of a summer night script ingmar bergman movie scripts a few directors have exerted so much influence on. Not surprising, considering this film is a major crowdpleaser. The inspiration for woody allens a midsummer nights sex comedy and steven sondheims a little night music, bergmans smiles is an erotic, nostalgic jab at upperclass sexual repression and. Talking about the genesis of the film in bergman on bergman. With ulla jacobsson, eva dahlbeck, harriet andersson, margit carlqvist. In sweden at the turn of the century, members of the upper class and their servants find themselves in a romantic tangle that they try to work out amidst jealousy and heartbreak. In 1973, smiles of a summer night was reworked into a broadway musical called a little night music, with lyrics by hugh wheeler and music by stephen sondheim. Set on a country estate at the turn of the century, it features eight people, including an actress, a sophisticated aristocratic couple, a lawyer and his virginal wife, and a spirited young maid who, during the course of one evening, change partners several times and engage in multiple. Set on a country estate at the turn of the century, it features eight people, including. Adultery was the great subject of many of ingmar bergmans films and much of his life. Thought provoking ideas and densely packed character perspectives are abound here.
Charming, lighthearted, delicate, and romantic are not the terms most people think to use when describing bergman films, and yet smiles of a summer night is. Smiles of a summer night 1955 one of swedish director ingmar bergmans most lyrical and charming works, smiles of a summer night 1955 is an unexpected detour from the more typical existential. After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the comedy smiles of a summer night at last ushered in an international audience for ingmar bergman. Rent smiles of a summer night 1955 on dvd and bluray. Smiles of a summer night article, university of california press journals division. Comedy would always appear in small tufts even in the dreariest of his films, but smiles of a summer night works as an inversion of this.
To coincide with summer solstice, we present ingmar bergmans elegant romantic comedy set on a swedish estate on the longest night of the year. It was the distillation of elements he had worked with for several. During a weekend in the country, the women collude to force the mens hands in matters of the. This surprisingly light, ribald, partnerswapping narrative recalls boccaccios fables of sexual and moral justice. It revolves around a love dodecahedron in sweden around the turn of the. He had been directing films since torment in 1944, with uneven results. This surprisingly light, ribald, partnerswapping narrative recalls. He was married five times, and not very faithfully. Ernst ingmar bergman was a ninetime academy awardnominated swedish film, stage, and opera. For those accustomed to ingmar bergmans more serious fare, such as the austere winter light or his foreboding the seventh seal, smiles of a summer night is a lighthearted, utterly. The sexual chases and the round dance are romantic, nostalgic.
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