After a seven-year absence, Charlotte Andergast travels to Sweden to reunite with her daughter Eva. The pair have a troubled relationship: Charlotte sacrificed the responsibilities of motherhood for a career as a classical pianist. Over an emotional night, the pair reopen the wounds of the past. Charlotte gets another shock when she finds out that her mentally impaired daughter, Helena, is out of the asylum and living with Eva.
Acting
Bergman v. Bergman—two titans destroying each other beautifully.
Direction
Ingmar frames faces like weapons. Every close-up cuts deep.
Writing
The Chopin scene: dialogue so brutal it needs trigger warnings.
Director
Ingmar Bergman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ingrid and Ingmar Bergman were not related—despite sharing a surname, they met only twice before this film. She was dying of cancer and knew it was her farewell.
The entire film was shot in Norway because Ingmar was in tax exile from Sweden. The 'Swedish' house is actually Norwegian.
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