☆ ☆ ☆
The Touch (1971) – I. Bergman
Bergman’s first
English language feature (that still takes place in Sweden and with Swedish
spoken when English-speakers are not around) focuses on a messy extra-marital
affair. Bibi Andersson is a housewife married to doctor Max von Sydow. He is a
loving husband and they have two early teen children but perhaps her life feels
boring to her (we are not really given any intimations of this but Bergman offers
a sardonic view of her daily routine).
When she meets archaeologist Elliott Gould (a patient of her husband’s
working on renovating a medieval church), he is full on and doesn’t hold back
on his attempts to seduce her. She gives
in and they have an affair, despite his manic-depressive and violent behaviour.
It goes on for a while until inevitably von Sydow finds out. Gould leaves for
England and Andersson follows but does not find him, returning to Sweden to
pick up her life. Late in the film, we are given some explanations about the
causes of his erratic behaviour but they don’t feel satisfying. Nor does the
incredibly abrupt ending. That said, Andersson’s performance is brave and subtle;
Gould is loose and modern (but seems miscast). The film is endowed with some
beautiful autumnal cinematography (albeit in some grubby locations). Not quite
as harrowing as other Bergman films in this vein, so this may or may not be the
right place to start with the Swedish master, depending on how intense you like
your films.
No comments:
Post a Comment