| Smiles Of A Summer Night (1957)
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| Front Cover |
Actor |
Back Cover |
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| Ulla Jacobsson |
Anne Egerman
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| Eva Dahlbeck |
Desiree Armfeldt
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| Harriet Andersson |
Petra the Maid
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| Margit Carlqvist |
Countess Charlotte Malcolm (as Margit Carlquist)
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| Gunnar Björnstrand |
Fredrik Egerman
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| Jarl Kulle |
Count Carl Magnus Malcolm
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| Åke Fridell |
Frid the Groom
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| Björn Bjelfvenstam |
Henrik Egerman (as Björn Bjelvenstam)
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| Naima Wifstrand |
Mrs. Armfeldt
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| Jullan Kindahl |
Beata, cook
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| Birgitta Valberg |
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| Bibi Andersson |
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| Gunnar Bjornstrand |
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| Plot |
| Ingmar Bergman achieved international stardom with this classic melancholy comedy about the romantic entanglements of three 19th-century couples during a weekend at a country estate. It's exactly what you'd expect from a bedroom farce filtered through the ideas and eyes of Bergman: sharp, serious, pensive, austerely sexy, and ultimately sobering. Still, anyone who thought the Swedish filmmaker was incapable of a little fun has only to watch Bergman's orchestrations of these dangerous liaisons. Prosperous lawyer Fredrik (Gunnar Björnstrand) is married to the comely young Anne (Ulla Jacobsson), who (despite his best efforts) remains a virgin. Henrik (Björn Bjelfvenstam), Fredrik's grown son from a previous marriage, is desperately in love with Anne--and having an affair with the maid (Harriet Andersson)--despite the torturings of his pious soul. When actress Desiree (Eva Dahlbeck), Fredrik's former mistress, breezes into town, Fredrick pays her a visit, only to find himself jealous of her relationship with the piggish Count Malcolm (Jarl Kulle), who just happens to be married to Anne's best friend, the depressed and suicidal Charlotte (Margit Carlqvist); both women have a decided bone to pick with Desiree. All convene at the estate of Desiree's mother for a weekend of confrontations, illicit romance, dinner, dueling, and eventual pairing with the right romantic partner. Bergman winningly conveys the aspects of love among both the young and the old--those who feel they'll live forever and those whose impending mortality colors their actions. Absolutely brilliant and heartfelt, a true cinematic masterpiece. The basis for Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, of "Send in the Clowns" fame. --Mark Englehart |
| Movie Details |
| Genre |
Comedy; Romance |
| Director |
Ingmar Bergman; <b>Ingmar Bergman</b> |
| Producer |
Allan Ekelund |
| Writer |
Ingmar Bergman; <b>Ingmar Bergman</b> |
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| Studio |
Criterion |
| Country |
Sweden |
| Language |
Swedish |
| Audience Rating |
G |
| Running Time |
108 mins |
| Movie Release Date |
12/23/1957 |
| Color |
Color |
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| Personal Details |
| Format |
DVD |
| Seen It |
Yes |
| Index |
629 |
| Collection Status |
In Collection |
| Purchase Date |
5/15/2006 |
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| Product Details |
| Edition |
Criterion Collection |
| Region |
Region |
| Screen Ratio |
 1.33:1 |
| Layers |
Single Side, Dual Layer |
| UPC (Barcode) |
037429193921 |
| Release Date |
5/25/2004 |
| Subtitles |
English |
| Packaging |
Keep Case |
| Audio Tracks |
 Swedish Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono |
| Nr of Disks/Tapes |
1 |
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Extra Features
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Video introduction to the film by director Ingmar Bergman
New video conversation with film historian Peter Cowie and writer Jörn Donner (executive producer, Fanny and Alexander)
New piece by renowned theater and film critic John Simon, author of Ingmar Bergman Directs
Swedish theatrical trailer
Essay by film critic Pauline Kael
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