Still full of the old Berman themes of death, the lack of God, etc.
Sometimes the symbols are a bit too heavy handed (including the titular presence of death as a clown). And the technical side of the production feels a bit limited, since the film was made for TV, and occasionally feels like a filmed play.
But that aside, as always with Bergman, the acting is terrific, and this tale of a half-mad inventor, inventing 'talking films' (by having actors stand behind the screen and speak the dialogue the characters on the screen are mouthing) is sometimes very funny, sometimes very sad, and sometimes very insightful – especially about the power of art both to redeem and obsess.
Not one of Bergman's great works, but among the best of his more minor films.
Sometimes the symbols are a bit too heavy handed (including the titular presence of death as a clown). And the technical side of the production feels a bit limited, since the film was made for TV, and occasionally feels like a filmed play.
But that aside, as always with Bergman, the acting is terrific, and this tale of a half-mad inventor, inventing 'talking films' (by having actors stand behind the screen and speak the dialogue the characters on the screen are mouthing) is sometimes very funny, sometimes very sad, and sometimes very insightful – especially about the power of art both to redeem and obsess.
Not one of Bergman's great works, but among the best of his more minor films.