1961 - THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY, the first of Bergman's "God" trilogy.

Bergman filmed this chamber piece with only four actors, Harriet Andersson, Gunnar Björnstrand, Max von Sydow and Lars Passgård members of his famous stock company.  The film was shot on the island of Faro by Sven Nykvist.  Faro would show up in many of Bergman's later films and it was the place where Bergman eventually retired.

This is a very grim and sometimes harrowing film.  Harriet Andersson in a very intense performance, is the wife of Max von Sydow and the daughter of Gunnar Bjornstand.  She is slowly descending into madness and dragging her brother played by Lars Passgard with her.  The film deals with the interrelationships and consequences of her emotional instability among the characters.  The film explores their relationship to "God," if even there even is a god.

Not exactly a fun viewing experience, but Ingmar Bergman could always present this kind of intense drama in and interesting and watchable way.

 

This was the first of his trilogy on the absence of God.  The second and third films respectively, Winter Light and in particular The Silence are even more forbidding.  The series is probably for serious admirers of Bergman as the films are very real intense viewing experience.

Bergman as usual wrote the film and the running time is 91 minutes.