Intermezzo *** (1936, Ingrid Bergman, Gösta Ekman, Inga Tidblad) – Classic Movie Review 6678

Co-writer/ director Gustaf Molander’s unfairly neglected Swedish original 1936 film of the classic 1939 Hollywood romance Intermezzo sees Ingrid Bergman as the gorgeous young musician Anita Hoffman falling in love with married, older concert violinist Professor Holger Brandt (Gösta Ekman), who is the father of her piano pupil.

It is intriguing to compare it with the later version, which also stars Bergman, and it is nearly as affecting, thanks to the potent star pairing of established and new talent.

The acting is smooth and resonant throughout, the music is haunting, and the charismatic story is handled impeccably by director Molander, who wrote the original story and co-writes the screenplay with Gösta Stevens.

Also in the cast are Erik Bullen Berglund as impresario Charles Möller, Inga Tidblad as Margit Brandt, Britt Hagman as Ann-Marie Brandt, Hans Ekmann [Hasse Ekman] as Åke Brandt, Hugo Björne as Thomas Stenborg, Emma Meissner, Anders Henrikson as Swedish sailor, Millan Bolander, George Fant, Folke Helleberg, Margit Orth and Carl Ström.

Intermezzo runs 93 minutes, is shot in black and white by Äke Dahlqvist, scored by Heinz Provost and designed by Arne Rosander.

Intermezzo was remade again as Honeysuckle Rose (1980) with Willie Nelson.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6678

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