The Face [The Magican] [Ansiktet] **** (1958, Max von Sydow, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand) – Classic Movie Review 6089

Director Ingmar Bergman’s 1958 religious fantasy film, in which a 19th-century mesmerist Albert Emanuel Vogler (Max von Sydow) and his wandering band are interrogated by small-town officials when their powers are challenged, is a dark, difficult and distinguished piece of work.

It also stars Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand, Naima Wifstrand, Ake Fridell, Bibi Andersson and Erland Josephson.

Bergman demands that you have to luxuriate in the detail and allow the obscure meaning to wash over you. The acting and Gunnar Fischer’s black and white cinematography are of the highest calibre,

Nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1959, it won the Special Jury Prize.

Also in the cast are Frithiof Bjärne, Tor Borong, Axel Düberg, Lars Ekborg, Bengt Ekerot, Åke Fridell, Gertrud Fridh, Oscar Ljung, Toivo Pawlo, Birgitta Pettersson, Sif Ruud, Harry Schein and Ulla Sjöblom.

It is produced for Svensk Filmindustri by Allan Ekelund, scored by Erik Nordgren and designed by P A Lundgren.

It is supposedly inspired by G K Chesterton’s play Magic, beloved of Bergman, who produced a stage production of it in Swedish.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6089

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