"Crisis" (1946) is the debut film of Ingmar Bergman as a director. I have read the story that Bergman was not a "natural talent", in stead it took time for him to learn his craft. So as a fan of Bergman I wanted to see this film but my expectations were not very high.
The film is about a stepmother (Ingeborg played by Dagny Lind) and a daughter (Nelly played by Inga Landgré) living in a sleepy little village. When the daughter is 18, the biological mother (Jenny played by Marianne Löfgren) appears to claim her daughter. Because the daughter falls for the young lover of her biological mother (Jack played by Stig Olin) see goes with her to Stockholm.
The film obviously is about the distinction between the big city and the countryside, and strongly takes side for the countryside. It so does resemble "Sunrise" (1927, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau). In "Sunrise" a femme fatale seduces the man. In "Crisis" the dandy Jack seduces the daughter.
Of course "Crisis" cannot stand a comparison with a masterpiece such as "Sunrise", but that comparison would not be honest to the beginning Bergman. To be honest, given my modest expectations, I was pleasantly surprised by "Crisis". The film contains a number of scenes / characters that must have been daring at the time of release.
Take for example the love scene between Nelly and Jack, which must have been very nude for that time. Or the monolgue of Jenny at the end of the film, through the mirror she looks straight into the camera. This is an unusual camera angle, used again by Bergman at the end of "Summer with Monica" (1953).
The character of Jack is unusual, almost cartoonlike. The little tramp with a suit on. Not only does he plunge Nelly into a crisis, but all the main characters, including himself.
"Crisis" does not contain any actors or actresses that would later be regarded as "Bergman actors". Inga Landgré (1927) however did appear as supporting actress in various later Bergman movies. She acted until old age and is still alive at the time I wrote this review (2022). Stig Olin (1920 - 2008) also appeared in some later Bergman movies. From the 60's onwards he was mainly active as a music composer.
Although I was pleasantly suprised by the end result, the production proces was at times very chaotic. Finally the experienced Victor Sjöström was brought in as a producer. A blessing in disguise, because Sjöström would be the mentor for the beginning Bergman in the years to come.
The film is about a stepmother (Ingeborg played by Dagny Lind) and a daughter (Nelly played by Inga Landgré) living in a sleepy little village. When the daughter is 18, the biological mother (Jenny played by Marianne Löfgren) appears to claim her daughter. Because the daughter falls for the young lover of her biological mother (Jack played by Stig Olin) see goes with her to Stockholm.
The film obviously is about the distinction between the big city and the countryside, and strongly takes side for the countryside. It so does resemble "Sunrise" (1927, Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau). In "Sunrise" a femme fatale seduces the man. In "Crisis" the dandy Jack seduces the daughter.
Of course "Crisis" cannot stand a comparison with a masterpiece such as "Sunrise", but that comparison would not be honest to the beginning Bergman. To be honest, given my modest expectations, I was pleasantly surprised by "Crisis". The film contains a number of scenes / characters that must have been daring at the time of release.
Take for example the love scene between Nelly and Jack, which must have been very nude for that time. Or the monolgue of Jenny at the end of the film, through the mirror she looks straight into the camera. This is an unusual camera angle, used again by Bergman at the end of "Summer with Monica" (1953).
The character of Jack is unusual, almost cartoonlike. The little tramp with a suit on. Not only does he plunge Nelly into a crisis, but all the main characters, including himself.
"Crisis" does not contain any actors or actresses that would later be regarded as "Bergman actors". Inga Landgré (1927) however did appear as supporting actress in various later Bergman movies. She acted until old age and is still alive at the time I wrote this review (2022). Stig Olin (1920 - 2008) also appeared in some later Bergman movies. From the 60's onwards he was mainly active as a music composer.
Although I was pleasantly suprised by the end result, the production proces was at times very chaotic. Finally the experienced Victor Sjöström was brought in as a producer. A blessing in disguise, because Sjöström would be the mentor for the beginning Bergman in the years to come.