298. Sommarnattens Leende (Smiles of a Summer Night) (1955)
Directed By Ingmar Bergman
Synopsis
The lawyer Egerman has a very young wife who is not ready to lose her virginity to him. He weeps on the shoulder of his friend and former mistress Desiree, who is now the mistress of a Count. The Count's wife is Mrs. Egerman's friend. Mr. Egerman has a young son who wants to be a theologian and is torn between his sexual impulses and his faith, and meanwhile practices with the maid... while really dreaming of his step-mother. It all comes to a head when all these characters go for a weekend at Desiree's Mother's house.
Review
When you think of Ingmar Bergman, you invariably think of the Seventh Seal, of the knight playing chess with death, and comedy is not really what comes to mind. This is the film to shatter your preconceptions, and it does it perfectly.
I was missing a good comedy of manners, no one has done them so well since Renoir did Les Regles du Jeu, and that is high praise indeed. The film is full of quietly humorous moments that will make you titter throughout, and occasionally laugh out loud.
There is really little wrong with the film. It is funny, sexy, perfectly shot and acted, it delves into deeper metaphysical concerns, it mocks the bourgeoisie and the military adding some social commentary to the whole thing and it has some trademark grotesquery infused in the amazing characters. Unmissable.
Final Grade
10/10
Trivia
From Wikipedia:
The film's plot – which involves switching partners on a summer's night – has been echoed many times, notably in the films of Woody Allen, most explicitly in A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy. Bergman's film was made by Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince into the musical A Little Night Music, which opened on Broadway in 1973.
Ingmar talks about Sommernattens Leende:
Synopsis
The lawyer Egerman has a very young wife who is not ready to lose her virginity to him. He weeps on the shoulder of his friend and former mistress Desiree, who is now the mistress of a Count. The Count's wife is Mrs. Egerman's friend. Mr. Egerman has a young son who wants to be a theologian and is torn between his sexual impulses and his faith, and meanwhile practices with the maid... while really dreaming of his step-mother. It all comes to a head when all these characters go for a weekend at Desiree's Mother's house.
Review
When you think of Ingmar Bergman, you invariably think of the Seventh Seal, of the knight playing chess with death, and comedy is not really what comes to mind. This is the film to shatter your preconceptions, and it does it perfectly.
I was missing a good comedy of manners, no one has done them so well since Renoir did Les Regles du Jeu, and that is high praise indeed. The film is full of quietly humorous moments that will make you titter throughout, and occasionally laugh out loud.
There is really little wrong with the film. It is funny, sexy, perfectly shot and acted, it delves into deeper metaphysical concerns, it mocks the bourgeoisie and the military adding some social commentary to the whole thing and it has some trademark grotesquery infused in the amazing characters. Unmissable.
Final Grade
10/10
Trivia
From Wikipedia:
The film's plot – which involves switching partners on a summer's night – has been echoed many times, notably in the films of Woody Allen, most explicitly in A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy. Bergman's film was made by Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince into the musical A Little Night Music, which opened on Broadway in 1973.
Ingmar talks about Sommernattens Leende:
posted by Francisco Silva @ 1:09 AM
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