...engaging and discerning culture, as a way of life...

March 28, 2007

Autumn Sonata - 7

This may be the best Ingmar Bergman film I have seen. His work is pretty philosophical and that can make it obscure for most viewers (add in the subtitles and most people are not his audience, unfortunately). But this film and few others, like Saraband, are much better because the dialogue is well written and focuses on a few intricately developed characters. Here, Bergman explores the relationship between a mother and her daughter. The mother is a concert pianist and has not seen her daughter for a few years. She comes for a visit and the daughter confronts her about the way she and her sister were raised. The emotion builds to a climax as both of them are forced to remember the past and reflect on their ability/inability to love and forgive. An intense film (especially if you have been in these sorts of conversations), but a good one.

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