Autumn Sonata (1978) Höstsonaten (original title)

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman (writer)

Release Date:

October 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

After having neglected her children for many years, world famous pianist Charlotte visits her daughter Eva in her home...

Plot Keywords:

Pianist | Marriage | Loss Of Son | Invalid | Seizure

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Ingrid Bergman	...	Charlotte Andergast
Liv Ullmann	...	Eva
Lena Nyman	...	Helena
Halvar Björk	...	Viktor
Marianne Aminoff	...	Charlotte's private secretary
Arne Bang-Hansen	...	Uncle Otto
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	Paul
Erland Josephson	...	Josef
Georg Løkkeberg	...	Leonardo
Mimi Pollak	...	Piano instructor
Linn Ullmann	...	Eva as a child
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eva von Hanno	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Knut Wigert	...	Professor (uncredited)

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman		writer

Produced by
Richard Brick	....	producer (English language version)
Katinka Faragó	....	producer (uncredited)
Lew Grade	....	producer (uncredited)
Martin Starger	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Sylvia Ingemarsson		(as Sylvia Ingmarsdotter)

Production Design by
Anna Asp

Costume Design by
Inger Pehrsson

Makeup Department
Cecilia Drott	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Katinka Faragó	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peder Langenskiöld	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ingeborg Kvamme	....	props
Kaj Larsen	....	props

Sound Department
Tommy Persson	....	sound assistant
Owe Svensson	....	sound mixer
Owe Svensson	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Arne Carlsson	....	still photographer
Lars Karlsson	....	assistant camera
Charlie Nykvist	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gisela Bergquist	....	assistant costume designer

Music Department
Frans Brüggen	....	musician: flute
Anner Bylsma	....	musician: cello
Claude Genetay	....	musician
Käbi Laretei	....	musician: piano

Other crew
Knut Andersen	....	others who helped
Bo Andersson	....	others who helped
Jon Arvesen	....	others who helped
Jo Banoun	....	others who helped
Daniel Bergman	....	others who helped
Ingrid Bergman	....	administrator
Gunnar Bøvollen	....	others who helped
Lars-Owe Carlberg	....	administrator
Kerstin Eriksdotter	....	continuity
Demetrios Glavas	....	others who helped
Lena Hansson	....	production assistant
Jarle Hole	....	others who helped
Bjarne Kjos	....	others who helped
Hans Lindgren	....	location manager
Nils Melander	....	laboratory technician
Per Mørk	....	others who helped
Percy Nilsson	....	others who helped
Tom Olsen	....	others who helped
Rolf Persson	....	others who helped
Ulf Pramfors	....	others who helped
Gunnar Sakshaug	....	others who helped
Åse Seim	....	others who helped
Caroline Von Rosen	....	attributes
Ragnar Waaranperä	....	others who helped

Production Companies

• Filmédis
• Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
• Personafilm
• Suede Film

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Cinetel (Hungary) (DVD)
• Concorde Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Gutek Film (2007) (Poland) (all media)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Palisades-Tartan Acquisitions (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Satellite Video (19??) (Netherlands) (video) (Betamax)

Other Companies

• Norsk Film  sound recording

Also Known As:

"Höstsonaten" - France (original title)

Runtime:

99 min | UK:92 min

Country:

France | West Germany | Sweden

Language:

Swedish | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 (f) | Singapore:PG | UK:AA (original rating) | Australia:M | Norway:16 | Netherlands:16 (original rating) | South Korea:12 (2012)

Filming Locations:

Jar, Norway

Company:

Filmédis

Trivia:

The "drivel" novel (by Adam Kretzinsky) that Charlotte reads has a picture of Ingmar Bergman on the back.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the dialogue scene where Charlotte is lying on the floor and Eva is sitting on the sofa behind her, the shadow of the boom mic is visible on the curtains when the camera pans to Eva for a few seconds.

Quotes:

Eva:All that was sensitive and delicate, you attacked. All that was alive, you tried to smother.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in I Am Curious, Film (1995)

Soundtrack:

Sonat F-dur, Opus 1

A tremendous film but it left me feeling wrung-out.

The acting of Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ulmann is absolutely spell binding and while Katherine Hepburn may have been accused of portraying the emotions for A to B there is no doubt that these two actors can portray the emotions from A to Z and beyond. When I watch a film in a foreign language I find myself studying facial expressions and body language very closely, not surprisingly as, with the lack of understanding I am more dependant of visual cues. However such scrutiny often uncovers failings and weaknesses – not here.

The cinematography id also first class, the colours, tones and lighting are all superb and enhance, never detract.

This is only the second of Bergman's films I have seen (the first being Fanny and Alexander) and what I have noticed is that while many films give to the viewer and I feel as if the emotions are a natural response, I felt with the Bergman films, particularly this one, as if the films have taken something out of me, as if the emotions have been extracted against my will. This may sound over the top and rather florid but is a genuine statement. I also have to say that what the two films have in common is that they were both spellbinding and like a good book that just can't be put down, the films gripped me and wouldn't let go even for a minute.