Tuesday, 22 October 2013

A devilish comedy

The Devil's Eye (Djävulens öga, Swedish; 1960)
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Another one of  Ingmar Bergman's dry comedy where the audience is not expected to laugh his belly out. It is again a jibe at religion, his favorite topic, this time at Heaven and particularly Hell. It is presented in a play format with three acts and an epilogue.
Satan has a stye on his right eye and it could only be one thing. The vicar's daughter is to marry as a virgin.So Satan sends Don Juan, the master fornicator on a mission to seduce the 20 year old girl. In return, Don Juan's term in Hell would be reduced by 300 years!
Don has 24 hours to complete his mission and arrives on Earth with his faithful butler, Pablo.
After gaining entry to the Vicar's household after building a rapport after a staged car breakdown. Pablo, deprived by the pleasures of the flesh for so many years falls head over heels over the ailing and sexually neglected Vicar's wife.
The Vicar's daughter, Marie, is all smitten by her husband-to-be and is quite confident of her love that she flirts with Don.
Satan with a stye
By the turn of night, the Vicar's home goes into shambles - the wife is bedded by Pablo. Using the Vicar's earlier said promise that he would love her no matter what, she continues her life with her husband as a good wife in spite of the one time infidelity.
Marie mellows down to feel for Don but Don become a helpless romantic! He returns to Hell with  failed mission to deflower the maiden. Satan is furious but his stye is cured later when Marie lies to her husband!
A film with many punches against the institution of marriage. To quote: There is one which the reason Hell exists and it is due to marriage.

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