Saraband (2003) (TV)

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman (writer)

Release Date:

1 December 2003 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

Marianne, some thirty years after divorcing Johan, decides to visit her ex-husband at his summer home. She arrives in the middle of a family drama between Johan's son from another marriage and his granddaughter.

Plot Keywords:

Visit | Cello Lesson | Marriage | Cello | Kiss

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Liv Ullmann	...	Marianne
Erland Josephson	...	Johan
Börje Ahlstedt	...	Henrik
Julia Dufvenius	...	Karin
Gunnel Fred	...	Martha

Also Known As:

Anna (Sweden) (working title)
Saraband (Finland)
Sarabanda (Italy)
Sarabande (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for brief nudity, language and a violent image.

Runtime:

Argentina:120 min | Hong Kong:107 min | UK:107 min | Singapore:107 min | Sweden:220 min (TV version)

Country:

Sweden | Italy | Germany | Finland | Denmark | Austria

Language:

Swedish | English | German

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:MA | Japan:R-15 | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 | USA:R | Finland:K-11

Company:

Danmarks Radio (DR)

Trivia:

Although not acknowledged as a sequel to Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973), the characters Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson portray have the same names and occupations as they did in Bergman's acclaimed Swedish television miniseries and the action takes place 30 years after their divorce; the same amount of time that had passed since "Scener ur ett äktenskap" was filmed. Ullman's character also refers to the "idiot" that he had left her for as Paula, the character he left her for in "Scener ur ett äktenskap".

Goofs:

Plot holes: There are some interesting discrepancies in relation to the time line of the characters. The ages given for the characters are 63 (Marianne), 86 (Johan) and 61 (Henrik). Marianne says that she has not seen Johan for 32 years and that they had been married for 16 years. This means that she married Johan when she was 15 and he was 38. Johan had a falling out with his son when Henrik was 18/19, which must have been after Johan's marriage to Marianne.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Orada (2009)

Soundtrack:

Quintet for Piano, 2 Violins, Viola and Cello, Op 44

Stunning. A cinematic orgasm.

Now I know what all those slow movies were trying to imitate.

I had seen a lot of movies like it, but NOT QUITE. This is one of the most flawless movie I've ever seen. A revelation -- (I had never seen an Ingmar Bergman movie before.)

The ease with which emotions are communicated through the screen is unbelievable. I have never seen anything like it. What is it that makes it so different and so memorable? Every single element in this film contributes to its general beauty, the moaning cello, the words, the eyes of the amazing actors, EVERYTHING. No superfluous scenes, no unnecessary sophistication. Bergman is a master of emotional precision.

It is just a personal opinion but just like "Talk to her" was my favourite from last year, "Saraband" is the best movie I've seen this year. I recommend that you go see it if you get the chance. Don't think. Just go. If you don't like it, it will be one more movie you didn't like. But if you don't see it you risk missing a kind of cinematic orgasm.