“Autumn Sonata”, “Persona”, “Strawberry Glade”, “Scenes from Marital Life”, “Seventh Seal”, “Fanny and Alexander” - it is difficult to list all the films, thanks to which Bergman was remembered by the audience. The director for his long life shot about 70 film projects, many of which became classics of cinema. What is known about this talented man, who did not die back in 2007?
Ingmar Bergman: childhood
An outstanding Swede was born in the city of Uppsala, there was a joyful event in July 1918. Ingmar Bergman was born in the family of a Lutheran priest, parents raised his son in severity. In the first years of his life, the future famous director dreamed, rather, of a screenwriter career. He liked to compose his own stories, to experiment with artistic images and plot lines.
After leaving school, Ingmar Bergman moved to Stockholm and became a student at one of the local universities. The young man studied the history of art and culture, and also tried to decide on the choice of a future profession. For a long time he could not understand whether he wanted to be a writer or screenwriter.
The beginning of the way
“Casper's Death” is a play from the creation of which Bergman began his journey to fame. The director managed to interest one of the Swedish theaters where he was successfully staged with his first serious work. Representatives of the Swedish film company drew attention to the 22-year-old author; Ingmar was offered a job.
At first, Bergman served primarily as an editor. He had to bring to mind the "raw" scripts created by other authors, sometimes he rewrote them from scratch. Of course, this state of affairs did not satisfy the ambitious young man, he dreamed of inventing his own stories, and not modifying the strangers.
Only in 1944 did Bergman finally manage to complete work on his own screenplay. The director in his work touched on problems that are close to all teenagers. He raised the topic of the relationship of growing children with peers, parents and teachers, first love. The first scenario of Ingmar formed the basis of the plot of the film, which was presented to the audience in the same year under the title “Harassment”. Critics reacted favorably to the film, and first talked about a talented screenwriter. However, Bergman did not feel satisfaction, he began to think about creating his own movie.
Directorial debut
“Crisis” is the first picture that Bergman shot. The director completed work on this film project in 1946. The film tells the story of a girl who becomes a member of an unusual love triangle. It can not be said that the tape made a splash, but many spectators liked it.
Bergman's next creation was called "Rain over our love." The film introduces the audience to the story of a couple in love, in whose relations other people constantly interfere. The main characters must overcome one obstacle after another in order to stay together. This tape attracted much more public interest, and Ingmar established himself in his intention to become a director.
Strawberry Glade
Many films gained fame, which the ingenious Bergman shot in the 50-60s. The director, for example, in 1957 presented the picture "Strawberry Glade" to the audience court. In this work, the master refers to one of his favorite topics - aging, withering.
The focus of the audience is the journey that an elderly scientist makes. The long road encourages the hero to remember, he recalls the events that happened in different periods of his life. This is a kind of summing up, preparation for death.
Seventh Seal
Many critics believe that it is the "Seventh Seal" - a picture that Ingmar Bergman owes its fame to. The filmography of the master acquired this tape in 1957. Interestingly, Strawberry Glade was also released that year. It was “The Seventh Seal” that laid the foundation for the fruitful collaboration of the maestro with actor Max von Syudov, which lasted for many years.
Fiction, drama - genres to which the "Seventh Seal" belongs. The film is a fabulous story about a knight who returns to Sweden after long wanderings. The hero discovers that his native country is struck by an epidemic of plague, and death reigns everywhere.
The best films of the 60s
It is difficult to single out the best of those paintings that Ingmar Bergman shot in the 60s. His filmography, for example, includes the film Through the Dark Glass, which fascinated many viewers and critics. The drama tells about the experiences of the girl Karin, who had just left the walls of a psychiatric hospital. Karin is tormented by hallucinations, she is prone to hysterical seizures and is convinced that the Lord God himself talks to her from time to time.
Creativity of Ingmar Bergman is considered by many to be provocative. For example, in his film Communion, the director makes the main character a priest who is disappointed in God and loses faith in him. This happens after the character’s beloved spouse dies. The hero struggles to keep his doubts to himself, continues to preach and instruct his flock, but internal tension is increasing. It begins to seem to him that the lost faith will never return.
In the film "Person", the director again invites viewers to get acquainted with the inner world of the character. This time, the focus is on a successful actress experiencing an existential crisis. Suddenly, she is speechless at the height of the play, cannot utter a word. A woman is plunged into a state of alienation from the outside world, which a devoted nurse should help her cope with.
"Shame"
“Shame” is the famous dystopian drama, which was also shot by Bergman Ingmar, whose best films and biography are discussed in this article. The picture differs from other works of the ingenious director in that it has an anti-war and political focus. However, maximum attention is still paid not to events that occur, but to people who are forced to become participants. In the film "Shame" starred Bergman's favorite actors - von Syudov and Ulman.
The main characters of the film are spouses loving each other, leading a calm and measured life. Their only problem is the lack of children who cannot be had at all. The familiar world collapses overnight when Jan and Eve find themselves at the epicenter of hostilities. Gradually, the war destroys the personalities of the characters, fear forces them to commit disgusting acts that were not previously characteristic of them.
"Autumn Sonata"
Many critics insist that Autumn Sonata is the culmination of all the films created by Bergman Ingmar, the best films and biography of which are considered in the article. It is interesting that it was in this tape that actress Ingrid Bergman, the director’s surname , played his last role.
The story begins with the talented pianist Charlotte deciding to visit her daughter Eve, who lives in the Scandinavian outback with her family. Mother and daughter have a difficult relationship, they have not met for many years. Eve's life goes wrong, her son died at the age of four, she does not feel strong feelings for her husband. What complicates the situation is the fact that it was Eve who was forced to assume the care of her younger sister, broken by paralysis. Of course, the reunion of the mother and daughter does not end in anything good, the old grievances are recalled again.
"Fanny and Alexander"
“Fanny and Alexander” is a drama that Ingmar Bergman himself called the debriefing and struggle with children's complexes, a biography of which is considered in this article. The film won the greatest number of fans in the director’s homeland, in Sweden it is shown every Christmas. It is known that many of the scenes present in this film were taken by Ingmar from his own childhood memories.
“Fanny and Alexander” is a film about the family, the relationship of people, as well as many other works of the master Bergman. The painting tells the fascinating story of the Ekdal dynasty, which is observed by its descendants - Fanny and Alexander. Spectators are waiting for triumph and death, meeting and parting, quarrels and reconciliation.
Life behind the scenes
Of course, fans are not only interested in films that Ingmar Bergman managed to make. The personal life of the master is a question that has also always occupied the public. It is known that a talented director five times entered into a legal marriage. The first wife of Bergman was actress Els Fisher. The marriage did not last long, the husband and wife broke up, not having time to acquire heirs.
Els succeeded Ellen Bergman, who gave birth to her famous spouse four children. Then he married the screenwriter Gan Groot, one child was born in this marriage. After that, composer Kaby Laretei, who also gave birth to one child, became Ingmar's companion. The last wife of the master was Ingrid von Rosen, who died before him.
During his long life, Ingmar Bergman managed to become the father of nine children. His wives gave birth to seven, two more children were born out of wedlock. The director died in July 2007, he did not have time to live up to the 90th anniversary.