Shame (1968)
"Skammen" (original title)

Ingmar Bergman's psychological study of how humans react in a situation of war. The film takes place on Gotland, where invasion forces arrives.

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman

Stars:

Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Sigge Fürst

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 10 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Liv Ullmann	...	Eva Rosenberg
Max von Sydow	...	Jan Rosenberg
Sigge Fürst	...	Filip
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	Col. Jacobi
Birgitta Valberg	...	Mrs. Jacobi
Hans Alfredson	...	Lobelius
Ingvar Kjellson	...	Oswald
Frank Sundström	...	Chief interrogator
Ulf Johansson	...	The doctor
Vilgot Sjöman	...	The interviewer
Bengt Eklund	...	Guard
Gösta Prüzelius	...	The vicar
Willy Peters	...	Elder officer
Barbro Hiort af Ornäs	...	Woman in the boat
Agda Helin	...	Merchant's wife

Storyline

During civil war, two musicians retreat to a rural island to farm. They are apolitical; a neighbor sometimes gives them a fish; wine is a luxury. They love each other, but there are problems: the war upsets Jan, he is weepy, too sensitive; Eva wants children, he does not. The war suddenly arrives: rebels attack, neighbors die. When the other side restores order, Jan and Eva are arrested as collaborators. After frightening and roughing them up, the local colonel releases them; then he begins appearing at their farmhouse: to talk or to pursue Eva? He gives her money. The rebels return; chaos ensues. Jan becomes violent and murderous; they flee. Can they escape? If so, to what?

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Plot Keywords:

musician | farm | island | refugee | fictional war | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

23 December 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shame

Filming Locations:

Fårö, Gotlands län, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

SEK 2,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinematograph AB, Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although generally regarded as being one of Ingmar Bergman's finest films, the director himself was largely unhappy with the film. In his book "Images: My Life in Film", Bergman wrote that he felt the script was uneven, resulting in a poor first half.

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Goofs

Eva is not wearing any socks when Jacobi arrives but several times during his visit she can be seen wearing a couple of black socks and no socks at all again.

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Quotes

Eva Rosenberg: Sometimes everything seems just like a dream. It's not my dream, it's somebody else's. But I have to participate in it. How do you think someone who dreams about us would feel when he wakes up. Feeling ashame?

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Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Le contrôle de l'univers (1998)

User Reviews

Beautiful and ugly

"Shame" ("Skammen") (Swedish, 1968): Definitely one of Ingmar Bergman's masterworks, with cinematography by Sven Nyquist (who did most of Bergman's, and some of Woody Allen's films). "Shame" is less symbolic than some of Bergman's works, and, an intense, psychological study of a married couple, Jan and Eva, (Max von Sydow & Liv Ullmann) who have their personal problems like anyone else, but suddenly find their otherwise quiet Swedish island life completely upset by a civil war. Faced with increasing losses and degradations, we watch them struggle not only against circumstances, but their own psyches. The number of "shames" depicted is huge. This story may have influenced Lina Wertmuller's film "Swept Away". Just a guess. "Shame" is an ULTIMATE in gorgeous b/w photography, and ugly psychological horror.