Winter Light [Nattvardsgästerna] [The Communicants] ***** (1963, Max von Sydow, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand, Gunnel Lindblom, Allan Edwall) – Classic Movie Review 4835

The 1963 second, middle part of writer-director Ingmar Bergman’s trilogy on religious faith, Winter Light [Nattvardsgästerna], stars several of his finest interpreters but is by far the starkest and most difficult of the three. It is exquisitely written and directed, beautifully performed, and impeccably and imaginatively shot in black and white by great cinematographer Sven Nykvist.

Gunnar Björnstrand plays a Swedish village pastor Tomas Ericsson, struggling with his faith and sliding towards atheism, and unable to tend to the difficult needs of his parishioners: eczema-afflicted schoolteacher Märta Lundberg (Ingrid Thulin) and Jonas Persson (Max von Sydow), a man overwhelmed by atom bomb paranoia.

The great Swedish director turns an all-seeing eye on modern-day disillusionment and never blinks throughout this harrowing but illuminating emotional experience.

Also in the cast are Gunnel Lindblom as Karin Persson, Allan Edwall as sexton Algot Frövik, Kolbjörn Knudsen as warden Knut Aronsson, Olof Thunberg as organist Fredrik Blom and Elsa Ebbesen as widow Magdalena Ledfors.

Winter Light follows Through a Glass Darkly (1961) and precedes The Silence (1963).

Acting legend Max von Sydow.

Winter Light [Nattvardsgästerna] [The Communicants] is directed by Ingmar Bergman, runs 81 minutes, is made by Svensk Filmindustri, is released by Svensk Filmindustri (1963) (Sweden) and Janus Films (1963) (US() is written by Ingmar Bergman, shot in black and white by Sven Nykvist, produced by Allan Ekelund and designed by P A Lundgren.

It is shot from 4 October 1961 to 17 January 1962 on location at Dalarnas län, Sweden,and in the Svensk Filmindustri studio, Filmstaden, Råsunda, Stockholms län, Sweden.

Remembering acting legend Max von Sydow, who died at 90 on March 8, 2020.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4835

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