Through a Glass Darkly, written and directed by Ingmar Bergman 9.1 out of 10

Through a Glass Darkly, written and directed by Ingmar Bergman

9.1 out of 10

Although Through a Glass Darkly is…well, a dark film, it is also thought provoking, troubling and like almost all Ingmar Bergman motion pictures, a work of art in a league of its own.

The opening scenes seem to anticipate a more serene, if not happy narrative, with the young Minus aka Lars Passgard and his sister Karin, the wonderful, disturbing, intense Harriet Andersson almost cheerful.

They are joined by their father, David played by the majestic, memorable, present in quite a few other Ingmar Bergman films Gunnar Bjornstrand and one of the greatest artists of the world, Max von Sydow, who has the role of Martin, husband of Karin and friend of the family.

These are the only characters present in this dark feature, they have been out at sea on a boat, and they are getting ready for dinner.

After the first few moments when the public might think that they will have a good time and the excitement of the approaching evening together and the spirited conversation of the brother and sister are tempered down, Martin remains alone with David on the shore.

The latter asks about a letter he had sent, while his father-in-law was away from the country – he is a travelling scholar and author, speaking about his recent experience in the now defunct Yugoslavia.

As David left from the Swiss – was it in Switzerland though? – town where his son-in-law had sent the message, he had had no chance to learn the content, but is about to find out.

Martin is concerned about the welfare of his spouse and the fact that they had gone to see a doctor that said her ailment is incurable and regardless of the fact that he is an optimist, this is disturbing.

Nevertheless, in the first few scenes, the young woman seems to be quite cheerful and not in the least the depressed, haunted, mentally ill patient that is furthermore impossible to treat.

Alas, as we progress in the narrative, her condition deteriorates and it becomes a challenge to watch her.

The motion picture has won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1962 and was unusually – for a feature not in the English language – nominated for another Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written directly for the Screen.

It is a memorable, if haunting, rather difficult to watch after the first part film, that could arguably enter the horror movie category, not just drama.