Through a Glass Darkly is the first film in Ingmar Bergman's Silence Trilogy. In recent years, Bergman has repudiated the idea that these films were a trilogy at all. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with his recent assertion (I disagree with Bergman on this one), each of these films can stand on its own and explores themes of love, loss, death and most importantly, God. This film was intended to be "God defined," in the trilogy (Winter Light is "God exposed," and The Silence is "God's silence.") This film has to be one of the dreariest films that I've ever seen, but at the same time it is so beautiful and poignant that the viewer is drawn in.
The story revolves around Karin (Harriet Andersson) who is taking a vacation on the island of Faro in the Baltic Sea with her husband, Martin (Max von Sydow), Father, David (Gunnar Bjornstrand), and brother, Minus (Lars Passgard). Karin is recovering after being treated for schizophrenia and seems to be in good spirits, but her condition is fragile. Through the entire movie, she tries to keep in touch with reality and find love from those around her. As her condition deteriorates, she reaches out to each of her companions, but cannot cling on to her sanity. Through the entire film the characters interact, but still seem isolated from each other (the island itself is a metaphor for isolation). In the end, Karin sees God before she is taken from the island to return to a mental hospital. God is a giant spider.
Bergman paints a very dreary picture, but as with all of his films, there is a ray of hope at the end. I haven't heard most people who have seen these films comment on this theme in Bergman's trilogy. In each film, someone's life is basically left destroyed at the end of the film. However, there is always another character in the film who has changed, but is moving forward. In this film, Minus and David talk after Karin is taken from the island. Minus finds hope in his father's words because the two of them actually reached each other on some spiritual level (even though neither could do so with Karin).
In some way, I think that this was Bergman's real message. The traditional notions of God may have deteriorated, but there is still some hope that love and spirituality can be communicated between people and that people will move on.
Fantastic Film.
The story revolves around Karin (Harriet Andersson) who is taking a vacation on the island of Faro in the Baltic Sea with her husband, Martin (Max von Sydow), Father, David (Gunnar Bjornstrand), and brother, Minus (Lars Passgard). Karin is recovering after being treated for schizophrenia and seems to be in good spirits, but her condition is fragile. Through the entire movie, she tries to keep in touch with reality and find love from those around her. As her condition deteriorates, she reaches out to each of her companions, but cannot cling on to her sanity. Through the entire film the characters interact, but still seem isolated from each other (the island itself is a metaphor for isolation). In the end, Karin sees God before she is taken from the island to return to a mental hospital. God is a giant spider.
Bergman paints a very dreary picture, but as with all of his films, there is a ray of hope at the end. I haven't heard most people who have seen these films comment on this theme in Bergman's trilogy. In each film, someone's life is basically left destroyed at the end of the film. However, there is always another character in the film who has changed, but is moving forward. In this film, Minus and David talk after Karin is taken from the island. Minus finds hope in his father's words because the two of them actually reached each other on some spiritual level (even though neither could do so with Karin).
In some way, I think that this was Bergman's real message. The traditional notions of God may have deteriorated, but there is still some hope that love and spirituality can be communicated between people and that people will move on.
Fantastic Film.