It was adapted as the stephen sondheim musical a little night music, and loosely parodied in woody allens a midsummer nights sex comedy. Ingmar bergman and harriet andersson in smiles of a summer night 1955 margit carlqvist. Three pregnant women in a maternity ward and their miseryi love that. Smiles of a summer night is an enchanting comedy of manners with a satirical edge. The humor derives from the situations, cleverness of the dialogue and foibles of the characters, rather than from woody allentype punch lines.
Smiles of a summer night 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Anderson, combustible celluloid in turnofthecentury sweden, four men and four. After 15 films that received mostly local acclaim, the 1955 comedy smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende at last ushered in an international audience for ingmar bergman. After smiles of a summer night, his stories are darker, his themes more openly existential, and his visual style becomes less crowded. The story of smiles of a summer night takes place over a series of days in the late19thearly20th century, culminating in an allnight party where the machinations of the previous events come together. A film in a language with less than ten million native speakers. Smiles of a summer night the current the criterion collection. Set in turn of the century sweden in you guessed it summer, its a paean to love in all of its forms. Smiles of a summer night is my introduction to bergmans works. Complete 30film collection night of the living dead at 50 restored on criterion disc and the criterion channel. To make matters worse, fredriks old flame desiree eva dahlbeck makes a public bet that she can seduce him at a romantic. There were scattered lovely moments, as if bergmans eye were looking ahead to the visual elegance of smiles of a summer night, but the plot threads were still woolly.
After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the comedy smiles of a. During a weekend in the country, the women collude to force the mens hands in matters of the heart, exposing their pretensions and. A short, sweet video introduction from bergman offers the sight of the writerdirector in his later years, musing on how the film changed the course of his career. Jan 31, 2012 i have chosen this indirect way of backing into a look at smiles of a summer night 1955, a film that acted as an artistic and professional turning point.
Smiles of a summer night the current the criterion. Smiles of a summer night distributor materials, janus films, 1973. Smiles of a summer night was made after bergman directed a stage production of the merry widow, and he gave the film a turnofthecentury setting. Watch smiles of a summer night starring ulla jacobsson in this comedy on directv. It revolves around a love dodecahedron in sweden around the turn of the century. Not just that, hes also regarded as one of the best filmmakers of all time. As a time staff member, i write for the website pro bono, or rather pro ego. First off its obviously not the same transfer used for the dvd edition criterion released back in 2004. Set on a country estate at the turn of the century, it features eight people, including an actress, a sophisticated aristocratic couple, a lawyer and his virginal wife, and a spirited young maid who, during the course of one evening, change partners several times and engage in multiple romantic trysts.
And the film does this while being a complete joy to watch. I have seen just about all of bergmans available films and smiles of a summer night is among my favorites. At a turnofthecentury country estate, eight men and womeninvited for a summer weekendembark on frenzied rounds of sexual intrigue and deception as they variously pair. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. From scene to scene, the film zips along as if in a mozartian opera or grand waltz. Chockfull of flirtatious propositions and sharp witticisms delivered by such. Smiles of a summer night is also my favorite bergman film. After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the 1955 comedy smiles of a summer night at last ushered in an international audience for ingmar bergman.
Before you know things get very serious from the earlier more lighthearted pieces of the film and makes this work not only as a great comedy but a. Rent smiles of a summer night 1955 starring ulla jacobsson and eva dahlbeck on dvd and bluray. Smiles of a summer night letterboxd your life in film. Smiles of a summer night was a remarkable success at the 1956 cannes film festival in keeping with bergmans prediction that i thought it was time for a boxoffice success, and though everyone disagreed with me, i was convinced that this picture would succeed. It is like a sensual roundelay, with sublime actors capering and. Around the world in 30 days march 2020 challenge country. Early in the 20th century, middleaged lawyer fredrik egerman gunnar bjornstrand and his young wife, anne ulla jacobsson, have still not consummated their marriage, while fredriks son bjorn bjelvenstam finds himself increasingly. Early in the 20th century, middleaged lawyer fredrik egerman gunnar bjornstrand and his young wife, anne ulla jacobsson, have still not consummated their marriage, while fredriks son bjorn. Smiles of a summer night program note, art film publications, pauline kael, 1962. Armfeldt naima wifstrand offers an incantation over the wine, in ingmar bergmans smiles of a summer night, 1955. Schickel and i, in our first joint tv appearance after 25 years sharing the time filmcritic gig, gassed with charlie rose last week. Ingmar bergman smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende 1955 cast. Watch smiles of a summer night online stream full movie. Its laugh out loud funny throughout, utilising a combination of slapstick, barbed dialogue and hilarious costumes.
Cheery romantic comedy set in a 19th century country house that has bergman in his full whitedressesandpicnic mode, which became source material for woody allens a midsummer nights sex comedy. Charlotte margit carlqvist, carl jarl kulle, egerman gunnar bjornstrand, desiree eva dahlbeck et al, surprised when hostess mrs. After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the comedy smiles of a summer night at last ushered in an international audience for ingmar bergman. Smiles of a summer night dvd, 2004 for sale online ebay. The inspiration for woody allens a midsummer nights sex comedy and steven sondheims a little night music, bergmans smiles is an erotic, nostalgic jab at upperclass sexual repression and marital dysfunction. I have chosen this indirect way of backing into a look at smiles of a summer night 1955, a film that acted as an artistic and professional turning point. Smiles of a summer night 1955 movie clip marital ennui. Smiles of a summer night is perhaps the best known of bergmans comedies. It stars ellar coltrane, ian nelson, analeigh tipton, callan mcauliffe, ella hunt, bill milner, hayden szeto, lana condor, elena kampouris, melina vidler, khris davis, victoria justice and justin chatwin.
Other articles where smiles of a summer night is discussed. The sexual chases and the round dance are romantic, nostalgic. The wittiest, most daring romantic comedy of the year, starring four of swedens most beautiful actr. Rent smiles of a summer night 1955 on dvd and bluray.
Ingmar bergman is regarded by many as one of the best filmmakers of his generation. In smiles of a summer night, boudoir farce becomes lyric poetry. It was adapted as the stephen sondheim musical a little night music, and loosely parodied in woody allens a midsummer night s sex comedy. Smiles of a summer night bluray disc, 2011, criterion. Pauline kael bergman movies were the most influentialbrink of life was the first one i ever saw. Subscribe to stream on demand to receive notifications of new posts your email address will not be shared and follow us on facebook and twitter. Smiles of a summer night 1955 the criterion collection. Swedish director ingmar bergman was not known for the hilarity of his films, but this melancholytinged comedy has plenty of amusing moments, as well as the keen. Smiles of a summer night brink of life wexner center. This is certainly one of the great sex comedies and certain to be a good introduction to bergman for those concerned about some of his tougher films. Apr 09, 2012 smiles of a summer night is also my favorite bergman film. Herwick iii and choreographer daniel pelzig for a compelling conversation about how bergmans film influenced stephen sondheims most romantic and popular work. Smiles of a summer night by ingmar bergman, the film that inspired a little night music, will play at the coolidge corner theatre followed by a postscreening conversation.
Theres a wistful, magical quality to smiles which reminds somewhat of another fave, renoirs more classheavy rules of the game. But it was his next film, the seventh seal, that brought him a sustained world audience and introduced the themes that audiences would soon come to expect in a bergman film. Smiles of a summer night article, university of california press journals division. Adultery was the great subject of many of ingmar bergmans films and much of his life. Indeed, i admire all his films from that time period e. Smiles of a summer night is as delightful a romantic roundelay as has ever been made in world cinema. Smiles of a summer night 1955 in sweden at the turn of the century, members of the upper class and their servants find themselves in a romantic tangle that they try to work out amidst jealousy and heartbreak.
She received a cannes film festival award for her work in nara livet 1958. Sommarnattens leende smiles of a summer night is a 1955 swedish comedy film directed by ingmar bergman. Yet the film that first brought bergman to international attention in 1955 was neither dour nor dark. Sommarnattens leende is a 1955 swedish comedy film written and directed by ingmar bergman.
In turn of thecentury sweden, four men and four women attempt to navigate the laws of attraction. In 2005 time magazine ranked it one of the 100 greatest films since 1923. May 03, 2011 there were scattered lovely moments, as if bergmans eye were looking ahead to the visual elegance of smiles of a summer night, but the plot threads were still woolly. Summer night is an american coming of age romantic comedy film directed by joseph cross in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by cross and jordan joliff. Its possible that someone involved with the enterprise wanted to make money. Smiles of a summer night sweden, 1955 is a light, sunny. The film took a special prize at cannes the following year, and an illustrious cinema career followed.
Smiles of a summer night urgent text directed by ingmar bergman starring ulla jacobsson, eva dahlbeck, harriet andersson, margit carlqvist, and gunnar bjornstrand 1955 in the course of a white night in midsummer 1901, stuffy lawyer gunnar bjornstrand, despite virginal new wife ulla jacobsson, tries to renew his romance with stage star eva dahlbeck. Smiles of a summer night 1955 ingmar bergman synopsis. Smiles of a summer night the criterion collection bluray smiles of a summer night the criterion collection dont miss a single recommendation. Smiles of a summer night film by bergman britannica. Ingmar bergmans smiles of a summer night on the criterion.
The films plot which involves switching partners on a summers night has been adapted many times, most notably the. Summer with monika 1953 had some success, oddly, as softcore porn, although it didnt qualify. At a turnofthecentury country estate, eight men and womeninvited for a summer weekendembark on frenzied rounds of. Rent smiles of a summer night 1955 on dvd and bluray dvd. In turnofthecentury sweden, four men and four women attempt to navigate the laws of attraction.
Comedys not something one routinely associates with bergman but actually, hes done a couple of good ones across his life as film director the devils eye in 1960 and his filming of mozarts the magic flute in 1975. I was not expecting this to leap up my list of favourite bergmans, but there is something too irresistible, too infectious about smiles of a summer night that put a warm glow in my heart for its entirety. Smiles of a summer night was made after bergman directed a stage production of the. Gunnar bjornstrand, eva dahlbeck, ulla jacobsson, harriet andersson, etc. Summer night is an american comingofage romantic comedy film directed by joseph cross in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by cross and jordan joliff. Like their recent fat girl bluray release, criterions bluray package for smiles of a summer night comes with an unusually light load of extras. Set on a country estate at the turn of the century, it features eight people, including an actress, a sophisticated aristocratic couple, a lawyer and his virginal wife, and a spirited young maid who, during the course of one evening, change partners several times and engage in multiple. After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the 1955 comedy smiles of a summer night sommarnattens leende at last ushered in an international audience for ingmar bergman. Smiles of a summer night is a pretty edgy film, touching with great candor subject matters somewhat taboo today. He had been directing films since torment in 1944, with uneven results. In the next few years, a kind of bergman fever swept over the international film scene.
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