Shame (Skammen)
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
Written by Ingmar Bergman
1968/Sweden
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
[box] Eva Rosenberg: Sometimes everything seems just like a dream. It’s not my dream, it’s somebody else’s. But I have to participate in it. How do you think someone who dreams about us would feel when he wakes up. Feeling ashamed? [/box]
A beautiful but absolutely harrowing look at two troubled people whose troubles are made worse by a brutal Civil War. One of Bergman’s best.
As the movie starts, we meet our protagonists, Jan (Max von Sydow) and Eva (Liv Ullmann) Rosenberg. They are living in an isolated farm house on an island in an unnamed war-torn country. Both are ex-violinists. Eva has to wear the pants in the family because Jan is hyper-sensitive and, perhaps, mentally ill. They clearly love one another though Eva gets put out frequently at Jan’s lack of practical help.
The Rosenbergs have no political views, repeatedly citing their “broken radio”. Yet every aspect of their life is blasted by the terror of the war that soon engulfs the farm. With Gunnar Bjornstrand as a government official.
The below trailer gives a good sense of how up-close and personal Bergman brings us to the horrors of war. The realism struck directly at my core. These are lovers of art and beauty who are forever changed by their constant fear. Needless to say, the acting, direction, and cinematography are beyond reproach. Very highly recommended
