Gycklarnas afton (1953)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writers:

(more)

Release Date:

9 April 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

DESPERATELY they fought the desires, the passions that dragged them down deeper and deeper into... "The Naked Night"

Plot:

While traveling in caravan through the country of Sweden, one member of the decadent Alberti Circus...

Plot Keywords:

Circus | Mistress | Clown | Bear | Sweden

Cast

Åke Grönberg	...	Albert Johansson
Harriet Andersson	...	Anne
Hasse Ekman	...	Frans
Anders Ek	...	Frost
Gudrun Brost	...	Alma
Annika Tretow	...	Agda
Erik Strandmark	...	Jens
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	Mr. Sjuberg
Curt Löwgren	...	Blom
Kiki	...	The Dwarf
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lissi Alandh	...	Theatre actress (uncredited)
Julie Bernby	...	Rope walker (uncredited)
John W. Björling	...	Greven, circus artist (uncredited)
Naemi Briese	...	Mrs. Meijer, circus artist (uncredited)
Michael Fant	...	Fair Anton (uncredited)
Karl-Axel Forssberg	...	Theatre actor (uncredited)
Åke Fridell	...	Artillery officer (uncredited)
Erna Groth	...	Theatre actress (uncredited)
Eric Gustafson	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Conrad Gyllenhammar	...	Fager, circus artist (uncredited)
Mats Hådell	...	Lill-Albert, Albert and Agda's youngest son (uncredited)
Vanje Hedberg	...	Mrs. Ekberg's son (uncredited)
Agda Helin	...	Theatre actress (uncredited)
Gunborg Larsson	...	Mrs. Tanti, circus artist (uncredited)
Gunnar Lindberg	...	Police constable (uncredited)
Göran Lundquist	...	Albert and Agda's oldest son (uncredited)
Olav Riégo	...	Theatre actor (uncredited)
Hanny Schedin	...	Mrs. Asta (uncredited)
John Starck	...	Theatre actor (uncredited)
Mona Sylwan	...	Mrs. Fager, circus artist (uncredited)
Majken Torkeli	...	Mrs. Ekberg, member of the orchestra (uncredited)
Sigvard Törnqvist	...	Meijer, circus artist (uncredited)

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman		uncredited

Produced by
Rune Waldekranz	....	producer

Original Music by
Karl-Birger Blomdahl

Cinematography by
Hilding Bladh
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Carl-Olov Skeppstedt

Production Design by
Bibi Lindström

Costume Design by
Mago

Makeup Department
Nils Nittel	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Olle Jacobsson	....	sound (as Olle Jakobsson)
Gösta Björk	....	sound assistant (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Hans Dittmer	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Lars Jönsson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Other crew
Lars-Owe Carlberg	....	location manager
John W. Björling	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Marianne Johnson	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Alva Lundin	....	title designer (uncredited)
Sigvard Törnqvist	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Rune Zetterlund	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Sandrews

Distributors

• Times Film Corporation (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sandrew-Baumanfilm AB
• Sherlock Home Video (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Sawdust and Tinsel (UK)
Sunset of a Clown
The Naked Night (USA)
Abend der Gaukler (West Germany) [de]
Gøglernes aften (Denmark) [da]
Gymni nyhta (Greece) [el]
I nyhta ton saltibagon (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
La nuit des forains (France) [fr]
Noche de circo (Argentina) [es]
Noite de Circo (Portugal) [pt]
Noites de Circo (Brazil) [pt]
Una vampata d'amore (Italy) [it]
Viettelysten ilta (Finland) [fi]
Wieczór kuglarzy (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | UK:X (cut)

Filming Locations:

Arild, Skåne län, Sweden

Company:

Sandrews

Trivia:

Originally marketed in the States as a sex film under the title "The Naked Night".

Quotes:

Anne: I can crack nuts with my teeth too.
Frans: Now I'm scared.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ingmar Bergman: Om liv och arbete (1998) (TV)

One of Bergman´s masterpieces

This is one of his earlier film productions. After have done this it did get bad critic and was no big hit at all in Sweden. But in France for example people who was interested in film saw it. So it helped Bergman to become more famous international. This film is still a masterpiece.

"You live and don´t care about how bad everything can be" is what I would call the message for this film. The opening scene is masterful and it´s a very dark(but what do you expect from Bergman?)film. The lightening and settings are very good and the cinematography is fantastic(The scenes that are filmed inside are filmed by the great Sven Nykvist). The way that the camera moves is fantastic and the way it films in to mirror´s. Also many of the actors and actress are giving their performance of their life. Today this film is a very powerful and disturbing film. I would call it a masterpiece.5/5