Sawdust and Tinsel (1953) Gycklarnas afton (original title)

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writers:

(more)

Release Date:

9 April 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The creator of the celebrated "Torment" probes deep into the passions of a young girl...deep into the desires of two lustful men...deep into the drama and desperation of THE NAKED NIGHT

Plot:

While traveling in caravan through the country of Sweden, one member of the decadent Alberti Circus...

Plot Keywords:

Circus | Mistress | Clown | Sweden | Bear

Cast

Åke Grönberg	...	Albert Johansson
Harriet Andersson	...	Anne
Hasse Ekman	...	Frans
Anders Ek	...	Frost
Gudrun Brost	...	Alma
Annika Tretow	...	Agda
Erik Strandmark	...	Jens
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	Mr. Sjuberg
Curt Löwgren	...	Blom
Kiki	...	The Dwarf
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lissi Alandh	...	Theatre Actress (uncredited)
Julie Bernby	...	Ropewalker (uncredited)
John W. Björling	...	Greven - Circus Artist (uncredited)
Naemi Briese	...	Mrs. Meijer - Circus Artist (uncredited)
Michael Fant	...	Fair Anton (uncredited)
Karl-Axel Forssberg	...	Theatre Actor (uncredited)
Åke Fridell	...	Artillery Officer (uncredited)
Erna Groth	...	Theatre Actress (uncredited)
Eric Gustafson	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Conrad Gyllenhammar	...	Fager - Circus Artist (uncredited)
Vanje Hedberg	...	Mrs. Ekberg's Son (uncredited)
Agda Helin	...	Theatre Actress (uncredited)
Mats Hådell	...	Lill-Albert - Albert and Agda's Youngest Son (uncredited)
Gunborg Larsson	...	Mrs. Tanti - Circus Artist (uncredited)
Gunnar Lindberg	...	Police Constable (uncredited)
Göran Lundquist	...	Albert and Agda's Oldest Son (uncredited)
Olav Riégo	...	Theatre Actor (uncredited)
Hanny Schedin	...	Mrs. Asta (uncredited)
John Starck	...	Theatre Actor (uncredited)
Mona Sylwan	...	Mrs. Fager - Circus Artist (uncredited)
Majken Torkeli	...	Mrs. Ekberg - Member of the Orchestra (uncredited)
Sigvard Törnqvist	...	Meijer - Circus Artist (uncredited)

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman		uncredited

Produced by
Rune Waldekranz	....	producer

Original Music by
Karl-Birger Blomdahl

Cinematography by
Hilding Bladh
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Carl-Olov Skeppstedt

Production Design by
Bibi Lindström

Costume Design by
Mago

Makeup Department
Nils Nittel	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Olle Jacobsson	....	sound (as Olle Jakobsson)
Gösta Björk	....	sound assistant (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Hans Dittmer	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Lars Jönsson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Other crew
Lars-Owe Carlberg	....	location manager
John W. Björling	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Marianne Johnson	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Alva Lundin	....	title designer (uncredited)
Sigvard Törnqvist	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Rune Zetterlund	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Sandrews

Distributors

• Times Film Corporation (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1972) (USA) (TV)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Sherlock Home Video (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Ripley's Home Video (2009) (Italy) (DVD)
• Sandrew-Baumanfilm AB

Also Known As:

"Gycklarnas afton" - Sweden (original title)
"The Naked Night" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | UK:X (cut)

Filming Locations:

Arild, Skåne län, Sweden

Company:

Sandrews

Trivia:

Originally marketed in the States as a sex film under the title "The Naked Night".

Quotes:

Anne:I can crack nuts with my teeth too.
Frans:Now I'm scared.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ingmar Bergman on Life and Work (1998) (TV)

The Cruelty of Mankind

While traveling in caravan through the country of Sweden, one member of the decadent Alberti Circus tells the owner and ringmaster Albert Johansson (Åke Grönberg) a sad story about the clown Frost (Anders Ek): seven years ago, his wife Alma (Gudrun Brost) was surprised by him bathing naked in a lake with a regiment. When the circus arrives in the town where Albert's wife Agda (Annika Tretow) and sons live, he decides to pay a visit with his young mistress Anne (Harriet Andersson) to a famous local troupe to borrow some capes, hats and vests for their tonight show. They are humiliated by the director Mr. Sjuberg (Gunnar Björnstrand), but he lends the pieces, and the lead actor Frans (Hasse Ekman) gives an unsuccessful pass on Anne. When Albert decides to visit Agda, the jealous Anne meets Frans, who seduces her with an apparently valuable necklace, and they have a love affair. Anne finds that the necklace is actually worthless and returns to the circus. Meanwhile, Agda refuses to accept Albert back and he sees Anne leaving the theater and going to the jewelry. During the exhibition, Albert and Anne are submitted to humiliations by Frans.

"Gycklarnas Afton" is a dark and unpleasant story of the cruelty of mankind, where losers, desperate people without any perspective in life, are humiliated by the cruel human beings, reaching the lowest human condition. The clown Frost and his decadent wife Alma; the aging and tired owner of the circus trying reconciliation with his former wife to have a stable life; the mistress Anne trying to find another man to support her; all of them stuck together in a decadent circus due to the lack of perspective in life and courage of committing suicide. The cinematography in black and white is amazingly beautiful, and the introduction sequence, with the caravan moving in the dawn, is very similar to Brazilian classic "O Cangaceiro" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045595/), of the same year. Harriet Andersson is extremely sexy and gorgeous in the role of Anne. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Noites de Circo" ("Nights of Circus")