By Jim Walters, Iowa City
Today, leaving New Pioneer, I saw a young man with “Ingmar Bergman” emblazoned on a T-shirt. Backing up, I said, OK, what’s your favorite Bergman film? With only a moment’s hesitation, he said, Persona (1966).
Good choice, I replied. Persona contains what is arguably the most erotic scene in cinema. No skin, no sex, just a young nurse (Bibi Anderson) describing a sexual encounter to a (chosen-to-be) mute famous actress (Liv Ullmann). These two actresses, the magic of Bergman’s touch, and the skill of cinematographer Sven Nyquist make the scene electrifying.
OK, the young man at the co-op responded: what’s yours? Without a moment’s hesitation, I said Wild Strawberries (1957). I first saw this film when I was in high school — almost 70 years ago. That was at the Iowa Theatre on South Dubuque Street. (Now occupied by DC’s Sports Bar.) The “Iowa” in those pre-Bijou, pre-FilmScene days was our “art house” theatre, serving up a variety of international and off-beat films. There was a tiny upstairs balcony, where I and a few friends would go to sample this fare.
The woman at the ticket window was a cheerful, older woman who I suspect had some disability that made this a workable job for her. She had no problem selling us tickets to what would probably now be rated R, or even X, films.
It was at the Iowa, that I saw a succession of Bergman films — Smiles of a Summer Night (1955), Seventh Seal (1957), Wild Strawberries (1957), The Virgin Spring (1960), The Devil’s Eye (1960), Through a Glass Darkly (1961), Winter Light (1963), The Silence (1963), and Persona (1966). Bergman went on to produce two other masterpieces: Autumn Sonata (1978) and Fanny and Alexander (1982).
What makes Wild Strawberries my favorite is its juxtaposition of the exuberance of youth — both with the three young travelers and the main character’s (Dr. Isak Borg, played by Victor Sjostrom) recollections of his youth — against the realities of aging. Borg is forced to confront all the doubts, fears, and consequences of aging. The dream sequences have not been matched by any other director. So, I’ve got a film that spoke to me in my youth, and now speaks to me in old age.
Haven’t watched Bergman? You should. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite in his filmography.
