The Touch (1971) Beröringen (original title)

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman

Release Date:

14 July 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The Touch is the total expression of love.

Plot:

A seemingly happy Swedish housewife and mother begins an adulterous affair with a foreign archaeologist who is working near her home...

Plot Keywords:

Affair | One Word Title | Infidelity | Female Nudity | Nudity

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Elliott Gould	...	David Kovac
Bibi Andersson	...	Karin Vergerus
Max von Sydow	...	Andreas Vergerus
Sheila Reid	...	Sara Kovac
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Margaretha Byström	...	Secretary to Andreas Vergerus (uncredited)
Elsa Ebbesen	...	Hospital Matron (uncredited)
Dennis Gotobed	...	English civil servant (uncredited)
Karin Gry	...	Neighbour (uncredited)
Staffan Hallerstam	...	Anders Vergerus (uncredited)
Barbro Hiort af Ornäs	...	Karin's mother (uncredited)
Åke Lindström	...	Dr. Holm (uncredited)
Ann-Christin Lobråten	...	Museum employee (uncredited)
Maria Nolgård	...	Agnes Vergerus (uncredited)
Erik Nyhlén	...	The Archeologist (uncredited)
Bengt Ottekil	...	Bell boy (uncredited)
Alan Simon	...	Therapist at museum (uncredited)
Per Sjöstrand	...	Therapist (uncredited)
Aino Taube	...	Woman on stairs (uncredited)
Mimmo Wåhlander	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Carol Zavis	...	Stewardess (uncredited)

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman

Produced by
Ingmar Bergman	....	producer (uncredited)
Lars-Owe Carlberg	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Carl Michael Bellman
Peter Covent
Jan Johansson

Cinematography by
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Siv Lundgren

Production Design by
Ann-Christin Lobråten
P.A. Lundgren

Costume Design by
Mago
Ethel Sjöholm

Makeup Department
Cecilia Drott	....	makeup artist
Carl M. Lundh	....	makeup artist
Bengt Ottekil	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Lars-Owe Carlberg	....	production manager
Lotti Ekberg	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arne Carlsson	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Stefan Bäckström	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Harry Engholm	....	sound
Lennart Engholm	....	sound
Berndt Frithiof	....	sound mixer (as Bernth Frithiof)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerhard Carlsson	....	electrician
Bo-Erik Gyberg	....	still photographer
Stig Limér	....	electrician
Jan Nilsson	....	electrician
Hans Rehnberg	....	electrician
Jan-Eric Söderman	....	assistant camera

Other crew
Stefan Bäckström	....	crew
Arne Carlsson	....	crew
Gerhard Carlsson	....	crew
Katinka Faragó	....	continuity
Gunnar Fischer	....	title designer
Hans Fredriksson	....	crew
Stig Limér	....	crew
Jan Nilsson	....	crew
Kurt Olgar	....	crew
Hans Rehnberg	....	crew

Production Companies

• Cinematograph AB
• ABC Pictures

Distributors

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1971) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Magnetic Video (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Pictures (1995) (worldwide) (all media)
• Cinerama Releasing Corporation
• Video Search of Miami (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Beröringen" - Sweden (original title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

Sweden | USA

Language:

English | Swedish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Iceland:L | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1996) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Film-Teknik Studios, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Company:

Cinematograph AB

Trivia:

The movie was shot in two versions - one where English was spoken by those who were English-speaking and Swedish by those who were Swedes, and one where English only was spoken. The two-language version is very hard to find.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Rip Van Marlowe (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Liksom en herdinna

Bergman shows us the analysis of a vulnerable woman's double life

This underrated Ingmar Bergman film is a disappointment to some and a puzzle to others. But if the viewer looks past the mundane story line, a middle class marriage threatened by a moody, violent stranger, one can see just how much richness Bergman has invested into this otherwise predictable type of story. I found Karin, the modern heroine in this story, to be a perfect symbol of the flip-side of Bergman's fascinating female protagonists.

The harsh criticism that Elliott Gould received for having accepted this role was unjustified and grossly exaggerated. Taking on a role like this is a thankless task at best and his interpretation of the despicable David was misunderstood. I think it was an authentic and courageous performance, an example of an actor who decides to portray the character straight without looking to advertise his own star persona.

Confronted by a type like David, we can understand how Karin could succumb to his advances and not even see where she's heading in this self-destructive relationship. We see stranger stuff than this in real life, why not accept it being put to an audience by the greatest film director who ever lived?