Wild Strawberries (1957) Smultronstället (original title)

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman (written by)

Release Date:

22 June 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

After living a life marked by coldness, an aging professor is forced to confront the emptiness of his existence.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Elderly | Daughter In Law | Gas Station | Hitchhiker

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 12 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Victor Sjöström	...	Dr. Isak Borg
Bibi Andersson	...	Sara
Ingrid Thulin	...	Marianne Borg
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	Dr. Evald Borg
Jullan Kindahl	...	Agda
Folke Sundquist	...	Anders
Björn Bjelfvenstam	...	Viktor
Naima Wifstrand	...	Mrs. Borg, Isak's Mother
Gunnel Broström	...	Mrs. Alman
Gertrud Fridh	...	Karin Borg, Isak's wife
Sif Ruud	...	Aunt Olga
Gunnar Sjöberg	...	Sten Alman / The Examiner
Max von Sydow	...	Henrik Åkerman
Åke Fridell	...	Karin's lover
Yngve Nordwall	...	Uncle Aron
Per Sjöstrand	...	Sigfrid Borg
Gio Petré	...	Sigbritt Borg
Gunnel Lindblom	...	Charlotta Borg
Maud Hansson	...	Angelica Borg
Ann-Marie Wiman	...	Eva Åkerman
Eva Norée	...	Anna Borg
Lena Bergman	...	Kristina Borg, twin
Monica Ehrling	...	Birgitta Borg, twin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peder Hellman	...	Sigbritt's Baby (uncredited)
Ulf Johansson	...	Mr. Borg - Isak's Father (uncredited)
Wulff Lund	...	(uncredited)
Göran Lundquist	...	Benjamin Borg (uncredited)
Gunnar Olsson	...	(uncredited)
Vendela Rudbäck	...	Elisabeth - Mrs. Borg's Housemaid (uncredited)
Per Skogsberg	...	Hagbart Borg (uncredited)
Helge Wulff	...	The Manager (uncredited)

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman		written by

Produced by
Allan Ekelund	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Erik Nordgren
Göte Lovén		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Gunnar Fischer

Film Editing by
Oscar Rosander

Production Design by
Gittan Gustafsson

Costume Design by
Millie Ström

Makeup Department
Nils Nittel	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gösta Ekman	....	assistant director

Art Department
Karl-Arne Bergman	....	property master

Sound Department
Aaby Wedin	....	sound
Sven Rudestedt	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Lennart Wallin	....	sound (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Louis Huch	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Björn Thermænius	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Other crew
Katinka Faragó	....	script girl (as Katherina Faragó)
Sven Sjönell	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Distributors

• Janus Films (1959) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Constantin Film (1961) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Whirlwind Media (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2000) (USA) (video)
• Gutek Film (2006) (Poland) (all media)
• Image Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Süddeutsche Zeitung (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Arthaus Filmverleih
• Criterion Collection, The (2013) (USA) (DVD)
• Cult Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Odeon (Hungary)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Tartan Video
• Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Video Yesteryear

Also Known As:

"Smultronstället" - Sweden (original title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish | Latin

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 (video rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16 | Argentina:16 | UK:A (original rating) | Iceland:Unrated | Canada:PA (Ontario) | South Korea:15 (2002) | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:PG | South Korea:12 (2012)

Filming Locations:

Dalarö, Stockholms län, Sweden

Company:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Trivia:

Ingmar Bergman wrote the script while he was in hospital.

Goofs:

Continuity: Marianne says she is going to go swimming at the old house, but when she returns her hair does not appear to be wet.

Quotes:

Teacher in dream:Would you please diagnose this patient, professor Borg?
Isak Borg:But, this patient is dead.
[the patient bursts into laughter]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "At the Movies: Episode #8.37" (2011)

Soundtrack:

JA; MAA HAN LEVA!

A cathartic viewing experience

I'd seen "Wild Strawberries" as a college freshman when it was first released, and knew right away I'd be a Bergman fan from then on.

I watched it again just last night, January 2004, at age 63, and needless to say got a whole different perspective on the film. Where the surrealist touches, moody photography, and incredibly smooth direction had made the big hit with me as a near boy, as an aging man I found myself--I hesitate to say painfully, but...well, closely--identifying with old Isak Borg in his strange pilgrimage, both interior and exterior, the day he receives his honorary degree at the cathedral in Lund.

In the last twenty minutes or so of the movie, I found tears running down my face, not from any thrilling sentimental browbeating (I doubt if Mr. Bergman shot five seconds' worth of sentimentality in his whole long career!) but simply from the cumulative emotional impact of this simple, powerful story and its probing revelation of human character, desire, and chagrin.

By the time the film ended, I felt wrung out, disoriented, happy and deeply sad at the same time: it's the experience the Greeks wanted their tragedies to convey to the spectator; they spoke of "katharsis." I experienced it firsthand when I had the great good fortune to see a production (in English) of "Medea." I walked away in tears and scarcely able to think straight for an hour or so.

The same thing happened with "Wild Strawberries." This is one of the handful of films I unhesitatingly rate a "ten."

A side note: I watched the Criterion Collection DVD. Before the film itself, I watched the hour-long interview conducted in 1998 by Jorn Donner included on the disc. It was remarkable to see how the film Bergman shot ca. 1957 contains many elements that were to be present in his later life--like a foreshadowing of his own old age.