Torment (1944)
"Hets" (original title)

An idealistic adolescent, suffering under the thumb of a sadistic schoolmaster, falls in love with a loose girl who is bullied and tormented by another lover.

Director:

Alf Sjöberg

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman

Stars:

Stig Järrel, Alf Kjellin, Mai Zetterling

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Stig Järrel	...	Caligula
Alf Kjellin	...	Jan-Erik Widgren
Mai Zetterling	...	Bertha Olsson
Olof Winnerstrand	...	The Headmaster
Gösta Cederlund	...	Pippi
Hugo Björne	...	Doctor Nilsson
Olav Riégo	...	Mr. Widgren
Märta Arbin	...	Mrs. Widgren
Jan Molander	...	Pettersson
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hilda Borgström	...	Caligula's Mother (scenes deleted)
Gunnar Carlsson	...	Student (as Lars-Gunnar Carlsson)
Anna Olin	...	Aunt Elisabeth (scenes deleted)

Storyline

Jan-Erik Widgren is a high-school senior. His Latin teacher, Caligula, is feared by everybody, both teachers and students. Widgren falls in love with Berta, who works in a tobacco store. She tells him that she is harassed by a mean, sadistic man, but does not tell him that it is Caligula himself.

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Plot Keywords:

lover | latin | school | schoolmaster | schoolboy | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

2 October 1944 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Torment

Filming Locations:

Norra Latin High School, Norrmalm, Stockholm, Sweden

Company Credits

Production Co:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Latin teacher Caligula is based on the Latin teacher Sjögren in Lågor i dunklet also played by Stig Järrel.

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Goofs

When Caligula and Widgren sit in the window together towards the middle of the film, the boom mic can be seen reflected in the glass above them.

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Quotes

Caligula: Mr.Widgren is lazy, he ignores me and my homeworks.

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Connections

Featured in Bergman Island (2004)

User Reviews

What a Frightening Figure!

While I believe the film to be a bit formulaic and is at the beginning of Bergman's career (of course he's the screenwriter here), this did captivate me for the most part. It has a level of intensity, mostly built by the psychotic Latin teacher. Any of us who have been in a class run by a tyrant, can feel our flesh crawl. The classroom scenes are really provocative and unsettling. When he shows that little smile, we know he is in much greater control than we realize. The biggest weakness for me was the whole thing with the shop girl. Why wouldn't she name her tormentor? How far had this relationship gone. We aren't privy to tender moments between the lovers, so we mostly see her as an unstable drunk, living in constant fear. What was the attraction. Was it strictly carnal. Was he sorry for her or taken with her in a kind of "Human Bondage" way. Anyway, I thought their relationship needed a great more. It is uplifting in its own way, however, and deserves a viewing. It really works pretty well.