Såsom i en spegel (1961)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman (writer)

Release Date:

16 October 1961 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A young woman, Karin, has recently returned to the family island after spending some time in a mental hospital...

Plot Keywords:

God | Incest | Schizophrenia | Existentialism | Religion

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Harriet Andersson	...	Karin
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	David
Max von Sydow	...	Martin
Lars Passgård	...	Fredrik (segment "Minus")

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman		writer

Produced by
Allan Ekelund	....	producer

Original Music by
Erik Nordgren		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Ulla Ryghe

Production Design by
P.A. Lundgren

Costume Design by
Mago

Makeup Department
Börje Lundh	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lenn Hjortzberg	....	assistant director

Art Department
Karl-Arne Bergman	....	property master

Sound Department
Staffan Dalin	....	sound
Stig Flodin	....	sound

Special Effects by
Evald Andersson	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Rolf Holmquist	....	assistant camera
Peter Wester	....	assistant camera

Other crew
Ulla Furås	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Distributors

• Janus Films (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Criterion Collection, The (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Gutek Film (2007) (Poland) (all media)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Moskwood Media (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Through a Glass Darkly (USA)
À travers le miroir (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Através de um Espelho (Brazil) [pt]
Come in uno specchio (Italy) [it]
Como en un espejo (Spain) [es]
Detrás de un vidrio oscuro (Argentina) [es]
Jak w zwierciadle (Poland) [pl]
Kuin kuvastimessa (Finland) [fi]
Mesa ap' ton spasmeno kathrefti (Greece) [el]
Som i et spejl (Denmark) [da]
Wie in einem Spiegel (West Germany) [de]

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:X | UK:15 (video rating) (1993)

Filming Locations:

Fårö, Gotlands län, Sweden

Company:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Martin and David are taking up nets in the boat, Martin puts his pipe in his mouth and then takes the oars and starts to row. In the next shot, the pipe is gone.

Quotes:

Karin: Funny, you always say and do the very right thing... and it's always wrong.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Persona (1966)

A Haunting, Somber Movie That Stays With You Long Afterwards

Bergman's haunting, somber feature "Through a Glass Darkly" is the kind of distinctive, sometimes uncomfortable, and carefully-crafted movie that can stick in the minds of its viewers long afterwards. Its combination of images, scenery, characters, and themes provides plenty of things to think about, more than could be assimilated in any one viewing. Bergman is one of the very few film-makers who had the knack for making this kind of feature coherent and memorable at the same time.

The story could hardly be more efficient. The very small cast and the tight scenario place a premium on the writing, acting, and photography. The characters have a good balance of similarities and differences that makes for a wide range of possibilities, and the story makes good use of them. The seaside setting is used nicely, with the beautiful scenery and thematic images both complementing the story. The old shipwreck is skillfully worked into a psychologically harrowing sequence.

The setting is combined with the family relationships, biblical allusions, philosophical questions, and much more, to raise a wide range of interesting and thoughtful questions. Although "Through a Glass Darkly" does not feature the extensive use of unusual imagery found in Bergman features like "The Seventh Seal" or "Persona", or the dream sequence from "Wild Strawberries", in its own way it is also effective.