I couldn't help being reminded of the genre of British kitchen sink dramas as I watched the first third of this film. The gritty realism of the working classes at home, at work and at play was all present. The row at Monika's home could have been straight from "Look Back in Anger". And yet this film predates those films and plays by a good few years. I wonder if the likes of Osbourne was inspired by Bergman's film.
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You are absolutely right, this is very much like a 'kitchen sink' social realist film. I think Bergman was influenced by Italian Neorealism, which predates his works. It was a nearly unavoidable influence at the time. It's easy to imagine Alan Bates or Tom Courtenay in the lead of this film, and maybe Julie Christie or Rita Tushingham as Monika.
there is an excellent recent book on Foreign Film in America that you should find interesting:
http://www.amazon.com/Foreign-Renaissance-American-1946-1973-Wisconsin /dp/0299247945/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1297214521&s r=1-1
Watching this film did remind me of A Taste of Honey in terms of the consequences of becoming a young parent.
"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".
Oh my gosh! I love you guys! I thought the same exact things when I was watching this movie early this morning before I went to work. I just started watching Bergman's films in order and finally got to this one. It is such a great movie.
Cast Away...It's like Forrest Gump, but on an island.