Though this film only hints at the psychological explorations Bergman will make into his future characters, it does, in some ways, predict the care and thoroughness to come in future masterpieces like "Wild Strawberries" and "The Seventh Seal". The themes of human desire for change, lost innocence, intense longing, and other existential themes are apparent at the surface, but do not reach the intense depths with which we can analyze the main characters from the films I just mentioned.
I found the character Jack, Jenny's boyfriend/lover to be the most interesting and think he is worthy of a more detailed analysis. Though we later learn that his words are completely contrived (he says the same thing to all women) we see that he has a talent of making women sympathize with him, and he possesses a special ability to say what women want to hear, thus revealing his unique understanding of the female psyche. He is something of a broke down Don Juan, if you will, but he is also the most deeply passionate and complex character in the film. Perhaps it would be easy to write his character off as a wolf who preys on women, but I think he reveals more about human desire and an intense longing for life that plays out in his lust for women and his joy in wooing them. Jack does not know where to direct his passions, and the pure, young and innocent Nelly is simply one of his targets in his misappropriated releases. Despite his selfishness and apparent callousness, he is eventually unveiled as a horribly tragic and lost figure, a man incapable of reconciling his passions with reality.
If you have not seen this film, there is no reason to enthusiastically run out and buy or rent a copy, but the simple fact that this is his directorial debut should hold enough curiosity for any Ingmar Bergman fan, or burgeoning fan, one of European cinema's great masters.
I found the character Jack, Jenny's boyfriend/lover to be the most interesting and think he is worthy of a more detailed analysis. Though we later learn that his words are completely contrived (he says the same thing to all women) we see that he has a talent of making women sympathize with him, and he possesses a special ability to say what women want to hear, thus revealing his unique understanding of the female psyche. He is something of a broke down Don Juan, if you will, but he is also the most deeply passionate and complex character in the film. Perhaps it would be easy to write his character off as a wolf who preys on women, but I think he reveals more about human desire and an intense longing for life that plays out in his lust for women and his joy in wooing them. Jack does not know where to direct his passions, and the pure, young and innocent Nelly is simply one of his targets in his misappropriated releases. Despite his selfishness and apparent callousness, he is eventually unveiled as a horribly tragic and lost figure, a man incapable of reconciling his passions with reality.
If you have not seen this film, there is no reason to enthusiastically run out and buy or rent a copy, but the simple fact that this is his directorial debut should hold enough curiosity for any Ingmar Bergman fan, or burgeoning fan, one of European cinema's great masters.