The Virgin Spring (1960)
"Jungfrukällan" (original title)

After a group of men brutally attack a young woman they unknowingly ask for food and shelter from the girl's parents, setting the stage for chilling revenge.

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ulla Isaksson

Stars:

Max von Sydow, Birgitta Valberg, Gunnel Lindblom

Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Max von Sydow	...	Töre
Birgitta Valberg	...	Märeta
Gunnel Lindblom	...	Ingeri
Birgitta Pettersson	...	Karin
Axel Düberg	...	Thin Herdsman
Tor Isedal	...	Mute Herdsman
Allan Edwall	...	Beggar
Ove Porath	...	Boy
Axel Slangus	...	Bridge Keeper
Gudrun Brost	...	Frida
Oscar Ljung	...	Simon
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tor Borong	...	Farm-hand
Leif Forstenberg	...	Farm-hand

Storyline

Set in beautiful 14th century Sweden, it is the sombre, powerful fable of wealthy land-owning parents whose daughter, a young virgin, is brutally raped and murdered by goat herders after her half sister has invoked a pagan curse. By a bizarre twist of fate, the murderers ask for food and shelter from the dead girl's parents, who, discovering the truth about their erstwhile lodgers, exact a chilling revenge.

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Plot Keywords:

stepsister | revenge | shelter | girl | farm | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish German

Release Date:

14 November 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Virgin Spring

Filming Locations:

Dalarnas län, Sweden

Company Credits

Production Co:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mentioned in the Van Halen song The Seventh Seal.

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Goofs

If you look closely when the boy is placing dirt on Karin's body, you can see her torso move as the actress breathes (even though she was supposed to be dead).

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Quotes

Karin: Make me worthy to receive the bread of Thy body and save my soul from a worldy death.

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Connections

Referenced in It's Only a Movie: The Making of 'Last House on the Left' (2002)

User Reviews

¨ VIRGIN SPRING¨ is a spellbinding masterpiece by the great Ingmar Bergman with awesome cinematography by Sven Nykvist

The picture is developed in Sweden,during the Dark Ages,14th-century.This the story about a young naive virgin named Karin(Petterson)who's sent by her parents(Max Von Sidow and Birgitta Valverg)towards a church to hand over a candles for the holy Virgin.She's accompanied by Inger(Gunner Lindblon),a pregnant and envious young.They encounter a group peasants and the young virgin is cruelly raped(whose images in some countries were classified R).Later the killers ask for help and shelter from the parents.

The movie displays haunting and powerful scenes,it's plenty of images which stay forever in the mind.Although sometimes is slow moving ,however the thoughtful screenplay is narrated with intelligence and sensitivity but are developed ethics and moral issues like as death,God,religion and the vengeance.The movie realizes an excellent Sweden reunion actors with usual Bergman's players( Sidow and Lindblon, among others),showing the different characters and exploring their apprehensions,ambitions,fears and circumstances.Glimmer and riveting cinematography by Sven Nykvist(won an Oscar for Fanny and Alexander),he's deemed by many to be one of the world's greatest cameraman,he achieved give the movies on the most natural and simplest look imaginable,he replaced to Gunner Fischer(The seventh seal) as Bergman's cinematographer.He continued an American career working for Lois Malle(Pretty baby),Bob Fosse(Star 80),Kauffman(The unbearable lightness of being) and Woody Allen(Another woman,Crimen and misdemeanors).The Virgin spring is wonderfully directed by Bergman,it's a real masterpiece who made his major impact gaining international acclaim and winning an Oscar for foreign film and a Gloden Globe.His realization was during an impressive golden period from 1957-1968 when Bergman(recently deceased)made a stunning masterpieces: The seventh seal,Persona,The communicants,The silence,Hour of wolf.Rating: Magnificent,but is considered by many(along with The seventh seal) to be the Bergman's best.And please to forget the horrible and ¨Sui generis¨ version made by Wes Craven titled ¨The last house on the left¨.