Sommaren med Monika (Summer with Monika, 1953; Swedish)
Ingar Bergman is a reputable director who holds a special place in the hearts of film makers like Satyajit Ray, Francis Ford Coppola, Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen and even Spielberg and Ang Lee. This is the first of Bergmann's many movies that I have started watching. The reviews would come on rolling as I watch them one by one.
Being liberal in his outlook of protrayal of women in his movies, especially of Harriet Anderson with whom he had an intimate relationships, he manage to earn the stereotyping of Swedish films of being 'R' rated!
It starts with the usual fashion of any great film, with the help of black and white cinematography for romanticism, of the day to day hard work of our hero, of the working class section of Sweden toiling with his loaded tricycle. The protagonist, Harry, is in an unsatisfying job as a helper in a glassware shop manned by nagging supervisors and bosses. In a bar, he meets an outgoing girl, Monika, who seems to be quite friendly. She is living in a poor noisy neighbourhood with his drunk father in a small one room flat. After a tiff at her workplace and her father, she leaves home to meet Harry. Together, in Harry's father's boat, they spend the whole summer lazing around the islets near Stockholm. The seeming angelic dame slowly turns devilish and transforms into a demanding, nagging and almost hysterical witch! By then, she is pregnant and they decide to marry.
Marriage is no bed of roses. Monika is not prepared for motherhood whilst Harry tries to improve his family by attending night school. Monika still misses the care free life before meeting Harry. Things hit the ceiling when another man is caught in bed with her. Monika leaves home and Harry is left with his daughter. He moves on.....
Ingar Bergman is a reputable director who holds a special place in the hearts of film makers like Satyajit Ray, Francis Ford Coppola, Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen and even Spielberg and Ang Lee. This is the first of Bergmann's many movies that I have started watching. The reviews would come on rolling as I watch them one by one.Being liberal in his outlook of protrayal of women in his movies, especially of Harriet Anderson with whom he had an intimate relationships, he manage to earn the stereotyping of Swedish films of being 'R' rated!
It starts with the usual fashion of any great film, with the help of black and white cinematography for romanticism, of the day to day hard work of our hero, of the working class section of Sweden toiling with his loaded tricycle. The protagonist, Harry, is in an unsatisfying job as a helper in a glassware shop manned by nagging supervisors and bosses. In a bar, he meets an outgoing girl, Monika, who seems to be quite friendly. She is living in a poor noisy neighbourhood with his drunk father in a small one room flat. After a tiff at her workplace and her father, she leaves home to meet Harry. Together, in Harry's father's boat, they spend the whole summer lazing around the islets near Stockholm. The seeming angelic dame slowly turns devilish and transforms into a demanding, nagging and almost hysterical witch! By then, she is pregnant and they decide to marry.
Marriage is no bed of roses. Monika is not prepared for motherhood whilst Harry tries to improve his family by attending night school. Monika still misses the care free life before meeting Harry. Things hit the ceiling when another man is caught in bed with her. Monika leaves home and Harry is left with his daughter. He moves on.....
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