It’s generally acknowledged that Summer Interlude marks the first of the films of Ingmar Bergman which are unmistakably pointing him in the direction of all of his later work with themes and motifs that became part of the Bergman landscape over the next several decades. It’s a somewhat gentler and less convoluted drama than some that were to follow, but anyone familiar with Bergman’s oeuvre can easily see the style, subject matter, and technique here in embryonic stages that would later become the Bergman of Smiles of a Summer Night, Wild Strawberries, Persona, Shame, Cries and Whispers, and so many others.
Summer Interlude (Blu-ray)
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
Studio: Criterion
Year: 1951
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 1080p AVC codec
Running Time: 96 minutes
Rating: NR
Audio: PCM 1.0 Swedish
Subtitles: English
Region: A
MSRP: $ 29.95
Release Date: May 29, 2012
Review Date: May 22, 2012
The Film
4.5/5
A melancholy prima ballerina Marie (Maj-Britt Nilsson) receives a package on the eve of her opening night in Swan Lake and is devastated to discover it’s the diary belonging to her first love, a sweetly innocent young student named Henrik (Birger Malmsten). Wandering back to the seaside cottage where they first became intimate with one another thirteen years previous brings back a flood of memories both pleasant and unpleasant of the summer they spent together, its untimely end, and her current feelings of inadequacy and emptiness. Her current suitor, a tabloid reporter named David Nystrom (Alf Kjellin), does what he can to assure her of her talent and desirability.
Ingmar Bergman’s script, co-written with Herbert Grevenius, uses the flashback motif nicely to contrast the sullen ballerina of today with the vivacious young student of more than a decade earlier, and he keeps the camera close to Maj-Britt Nilsson to take in her captivating effervescence and joie de vivre. The game of life is quickly related to a chess game (echoes of The Seventh Seal still to come), and symbols like dark clouds overhead may be a trifle obvious but nevertheless apt, the tragedy occurring soon after the cloud is focused on. The camera catches quite a few vivacious glimpses of this island paradise in summertime, and the two lovers are so giddily bursting with their innocent explorations of first love that it’s contagious. Bergman is wise enough, however, to include their spats as well as their idyllic moments and to include lecherous Uncle Erland (Georg Funkquist) to give a more well-rounded picture of these youthful protagonists and the not always perfect world they must traverse. There’s a generous helping of ballet at the beginning and end as well keeping with Bergman’s great love and respect of theater which he showed throughout his career.
Maj-Britt Nilsson gives a wonderfully vivid performance both as the youthful, exuberant Marie and the more world-weary prima ballerina who’s looking at the end of her career in a few years with nothing much to show for it. Birger Malmsten is heartbreaking as the virginal Henrik whose love for Marie reveals surprising new facets to his personality. Georg Funkquist is creepily effective as Uncle Erland, and Renée Bjorling as his wife displays a knowing persona about her less-than-perfect husband. Alf Kjellin doesn’t have a lot of opportunities as Marie’s new love David, but he scores well enough in the film’s climactic scenes to suggest a possible happy end for the miserably lonely Marie.
Video Quality
4/5
The transfer is framed at the film’s theatrical 1.37:1 aspect ratio and is presented in 1080p using the AVC codec. The film often looks ravishing with crystal clarity and superb sharpness and featuring a grayscale that never allows whites to bloom. Black levels are good rather than great, and there are some scratches that run along the right side of the frame fairly frequently (and a few that crop up elsewhere from time to time). Otherwise, there will be few complaints with this wonderfully vivid image. The white subtitles are easy to read. The film has been divided into 15 chapters.
Audio Quality
4/5
The PCM (2.3 Mbps) 1.0 sound mix has more body to it than one might expect for a film of this vintage. Erik Nordgren’s lovely, haunting music blends nicely with sound effects and the clearly audible dialogue into the single track. There is some flutter that can be heard on occasion, but the track is otherwise free from aural artifacts typical of foreign films more than sixty years old.
Special Features
1/5
The enclosed 18-page booklet contains cast and crew lists, some dramatic stills from the movie, and film historian Peter Cowie’s incisive overview of Bergamn’s career at the point of the film’s production and pertinent references to future Bergman films which can be seen in this movie.
The Criterion Blu-rays include a maneuvering tool called “Timeline” which can be pulled up from the menu or by pushing the red button on the remote. It shows you your progress on the disc and the title of the chapter you’re now in. Additionally, two other buttons on the remote can place or remove bookmarks if you decide to stop viewing before reaching the end of the film or want to mark specific places for later reference.
In Conclusion
4/5 (not an average)
Except for a regrettable lack of bonus material (hence the “bargain” price of this disc), Criterion’s Blu-ray of Ingmar Bergman’s Summer Interlude is a terrific release. Students of the director will have to have this poignant story of first love, and even non-fans who enjoy foreign films will appreciate its delicacy and the surprisingly sure hand of a young master who's beginning to find his cinematic voice. Highly recommended!
Matt Hough
Charlotte, NC
