Summer with Monika (1953)

A pair of teenagers meet one summer day, start a reckless affair and abandon their families to be with one another.

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Per Anders Fogelström (screenplay)

Stars:

Harriet Andersson, Lars Ekborg, Dagmar Ebbesen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harriet Andersson	...	Monika Eriksson
Lars Ekborg	...	Harry Lund
Dagmar Ebbesen	...	Fru Lindström, Harry's faster
Åke Fridell	...	Ludwig Eriksson, Monikas far
Naemi Briese	...	Monikas mor
Åke Grönberg	...	Verkmästaren, Harrys arbetskamrat
Sigge Fürst	...	Johan, lagerbasen på Forsbergs
John Harryson	...	Lelle, Harrys rival
Georg Skarstedt	...	Harrys far
Gösta Ericsson	...	Forsberg, direktör för glas
Gösta Gustafson	...	Forsbergs kamrer
Gösta Prüzelius	...	Försäljare hos Forsbergs
Göthe Grefbo	...	Lagerarbetare hos Fersbergs
Arthur Fischer	...	Chef för grönsakslagret
Torsten Lilliecrona	...	Chaufför på grönsakslagret

Storyline

Harry Lund is a nineteen-year-old man who meets Monika, a romantic, reckless and rebellious seventeen-year-old, and they fall in love. They leave their families and jobs in their small town, Harry gets his father's boat and they spend the summer together in an isolated island. Monika gets pregnant, and Harry decides to marry her. He grows up, gets a job and returns to his studies, trying to improve their lives and raise their daughter June, while Monika just wants to have fun.

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Plot Keywords:

summer | boy | island | 1950s | teenage boy | 

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Taglines:

The Story of A BAD GIRL!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

9 February 1953 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Monika

Filming Locations:

Ornö, Stockholms län, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

SEK 484,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 62 min (re-edited)

Sound Mix:

Mono (AGA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ingmar Bergman did not discover Harriet Andersson. The Danish choreographer, ballet master and theater director Sven Aage Larsen did that in 1948. At Calle Flygares theater school in Stockholm where he had come to find talent. Harriet was 16 at the time.

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Quotes

Harry Lund: Imagine them slaving away at Forsberg's now.
Monika Eriksson: And down in that old cellar, carrying crates around in the dust and dirt.
Harry Lund: We've rebelled, Monika, against all of them.

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Alternate Versions

First US release, marketed for the drive in theater circuit, ran only 62 minutes, was dubbed, and featured a different score by jazz musician Les Baxter.

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Connections

Referenced in The 400 Blows (1959)

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Soundtracks

TANGO
Lyrics by Gardar Sahlberg (as Gardar)
Music by Hans Wallin

User Reviews

Simple movie with mesmerizing scenes

This is the first Bergman movie I comment on. Not because it's one of his best, it's definitely not, imo. And not because it's one of my favorite Bergman movies, because it's not.

This film is not your typical Bergman movie. It belongs to his early career, and there is not much about religion or subtle symbolisms. It's just a simple beautiful movie which makes you think, not with sorrow, but with love. There are so many beautiful and original scenes, and the movie is so contemporary - it's definitely underrated.

I would say this is one of the best works belonging to his early career. It's simplicity and true beauty will leave you thinking about it for a long time and keep you returning to it again and again.

9/10