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Through a Glass Darkly (1961)
"Såsom i en spegel" (original title)

7.9
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Ratings: 7.9/10 from 9,465 users  
Reviews: 54 user | 37 critic

A young woman, Karin, has recently returned to the family island after spending some time in a mental hospital. On the island with her is her lonely brother and kind, but increasingly ... See full summary »

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Title: Through a Glass Darkly (1961)

Through a Glass Darkly (1961) on IMDb 7.9/10

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Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations. See more awards »
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
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...
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Lars Passgård ...
Minus
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Storyline

A young woman, Karin, has recently returned to the family island after spending some time in a mental hospital. On the island with her is her lonely brother and kind, but increasingly desperate husband ('Max von Sydow'). They are joined by Karin's father ('Gunnar Björnstrand'), who is a world-traveling author that is estranged to his children. The film depicts how Karin's grip on reality slowly slips away and how the bonds between the family members are changing in light of this fact. Written by Mio

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

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Release Date:

16 October 1961 (Sweden)  »

Also Known As:

Through a Glass Darkly  »

Filming Locations:

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Technical Specs

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Sound Mix:

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The first Ingmar Bergman film to be made on the island of Faro. Bergman would later buy a home on the island. See more »

Goofs

As Minus paints the chair, the amount of paint on the chair changes between shots. See more »

Quotes

Fredrik: I'm an artist.
Karin: Artist?
Fredrik: Yes, Princess, a thoroughbred artist: a poet with no poems, a painter with no pictures, a musician with no music. I despise ready... made art, the banal result of vulgar effort. My life is my work and dedicated to my love for you.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Wild Reeds (1994) See more »

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User Reviews

What a series of films.
26 February 2006 | by (United States) – See all my reviews

Between 1957-1963, Ingmar Bergman directed seven films. In my mind, there has never been such an amazingly creative period for a director as the six years between Wild Strawberries and The Silence. Through a Glass Darkly stands out to me as not only the masterpiece of this era, but of Bergman's entire career. This film has such a distinct atmosphere, which conveys not only isolation and melancholy, but also dark, austere beauty. Every little piece of this film fits together like a glorious completed puzzle. The Bach playing over the opening credits. The cinematography, with long, meditative shots in glowing black and white. The performances turned in by Harriet Andersson, Gunner Bjornstrand, and Bergman regular Max von Sydow. Overall, I sense that Bergman's vision is so obviously being displayed on the screen, as if his soul is being laid bare. As a singular piece of art, it is just staggering to behold. I think that everyone has albums or films that they connect with certain periods in their life, that transcend the mundane and just touch you in a profound way. Through a Glass Darkly is one for me. A must see.


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