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Ingmar Bergman's Greatest Film, without a doubt!

posted 12 years ago by cameronjtshaw
7 replies | jump to latest

The acting in Autumn Sonata is beyond superb, it sends shifters up my spine. If there is any aspiring actor or actress out there, watch this film, it gives me chills. Critics go on about Persona, Scenes From a Marriage, Cries and Whispers, The Seventh Seal, Wld Strawberries, Fanny and Alexander and so on, Autunm Sonata never gets a mention as one of Bergman's best. Well it is. Without a doubt. The story, the camera work, the screenplay, the colors, INGRID BERGMAN I could go on for hours. It's a real character film, almost like a character study. This is Ingrid Bergman's greatest acting Achievment, and Ingmar Bergman's greatest film. One of the most respected and greatest actressess in history, Ingrid Bergman, working with one of the most influential and greatest directors of all time, Ingmar Bergman, what could possibly go wrong? Nothing. Oh, and Liv Ullmann gives one of, if not, the best acting performance I have ever seen. Today's generation don't know what acting is, Ullmann could speak with her face, could convey what she felt by blinking her eyes. This was just amazing, and I'm about to go and watch it again! I have seen a lot of films and this ranks among the very best I have seen.if only more people knew about it.

[–] ghtx 12 years ago

Agreed that this is a fantastic film. But "without a doubt" Bergman's best? No way. That's a tall order, given just how many wonderful films he made. It's just impossible to claim that any one picture is "without a doubt" his best. My money is on Fanny and Alexander, if I had to vote.

[–] haileybaron 10 years ago

"The acting in Autumn Sonata is beyond superb, it sends shifters up my spine."

Lol what the hell are SHIFTERS?!
Try shivers, genius.

[–] elisabethmariaschmidt 10 years ago

I agree.

[–] kenny-164 9 years ago

Bergman is my favorite director, and I love so many of his films. This was not one of his lesser films to be sure, but there are so many great ones, to say this was his best WITHOUT A DOUBT is just plain silly.

[–] kenny-164 9 years ago

I thought more about this thread over the weekend, and want to add to my previous post here.

I certainly think AS works extremely well. Ingrid Bergman was, despite her work in Europe especially during the fifties, essentially best known for her work in Hollywood films, and very much has the kind of film persona associated with "the star" -type of presence. That is a type Ingmar Bergman had worked with before, but to no great success. Here it was quite successful, and her performance was masterful.

The story itself unfolds along a conventional narrative arc, but one here that is successful and fits.

The other performances are also great, especially Liv Ullman's, and the overall look, feel, pace and thematic concerns are all effective.

But I think it is also fair to say Autumn Sonata is not as challenging or creative as others in Bergman's overall body of work. Perhaps that does not detract from the specific experience of viewing this film. But when one compares it to others, I think particularly for such a creative and challenging director, it must be taken into account, and not to its credit.

[–] SamoanJoes 9 years ago

My vote would go to Wild Strawberries.

[–] Chytilova 9 years ago

One of the most respected and greatest actressess in history, Ingrid Bergman, working with one of the most influential and greatest directors of all time, Ingmar Bergman, what could possibly go wrong? Nothing.

Just to be picky and negate this bad reasoning, Ingrid Bergman has worked with several directors better and more influential than Ingmar and together they have made mediocre movies. So great actress + great director doesn't necessarily yield great movie.

This is Ingrid Bergman's greatest acting Achievment

She acts well, but have you seen her work with Roberto Rossellini? This is definitely not her strongest moment, powerful as she may be. I'd argue she is even better in Hitchcock's Notorious.