The Passion of Anna
(1969)
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The Passion of Anna
(1969)
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| Credited cast: | |||
| Max von Sydow | ... |
Andreas Winkelman
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| Liv Ullmann | ... | ||
| Bibi Andersson | ... |
Eva Vergerus
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| Erland Josephson | ... |
Elis Vergerus
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Erik Hell | ... |
Johan Andersson
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Sigge Fürst | ... |
Verner
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Britta Brunius | ... |
Woman in dream
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Lars-Owe Carlberg | ... |
Police officer
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Malin Ek | ... |
Woman in dream
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Barbro Hiort af Ornäs | ... |
Woman in dream
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Svea Holst | ... |
Verner's wife
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Marianne Karlbeck | ... |
Woman in dream
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Annicka Kronberg | ... |
Katarina
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Brian Wikström | ... |
Police officer
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Brita Öberg | ... |
Woman in dream
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Andreas, a man struggling with the recent demise of his marriage and his own emotional isolation, befriends a married couple also in the midst of psychological turmoil. In turn he meets Anna, who is grieving the recent deaths of her husband and son. She appears zealous in her faith and steadfast in her search for truth, but gradually her delusions surface. Andreas and Anna pursue a love affair, but he is unable to overcome his feelings of deep humiliation and remains disconnected. Meanwhile, the island community is victimized by an unknown person committing acts of animal cruelty. Written by Nancy Dowling <nad@skypoint.com>
Bergman is a name one hears so often, and it is so associated with slowness and close-ups that he's intimidating even before one gets to watch him. I picked this movie off the shelf just as I could have picked any other of his movies, and since I haven't seen others, I wouldn't know how to compare this to the rest of his work.
But I liked it, I really liked it. I didn't find it as 'slow' as much as 'focused,' where even the twitch of an eyebrow or a glance to the left is an action. This minuteness was truly amazing. In a lot of ways it reminded me of Bresson's Journal of a Country Priest. Because of this minuteness, I also found it very cruel and raw. I am particularly thinking of the scenes with the animals (not only the sheep, but the dog as well, and especially the bird).
And I have to say something about the colors. They were amazing, so warm and so different from the narration, which was in itself detached and indifferent (maybe 'disinterested' is a better word). The light was amazing (like what seemed like an eternal sunset when Eva and Andreas have dinner). If this were a painting I suppose it would be realist or naturalist work, but the way the interviews cut in make it hyper-realist. Other reviewers have criticized this but I found it as adding depth to the characters, because it gave them a new, real, life.
The English title is misleading though, because it forces the viewer to focus on Anna, whereas the original title doesn't do that. I found myself waiting for things to happen to Anna until I found out that there was no reason for that to happen.
I am very happy to have seen this, and will definitely not shy away from watching more Bergman movies.