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The Seventh Seal

Original title: Det sjunde inseglet
  • 1957
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
190K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,278
252
The Seventh Seal (1957)
DramaFantasy

A knight returning to Sweden after the Crusades seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the Grim Reaper during the Black Plague.A knight returning to Sweden after the Crusades seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the Grim Reaper during the Black Plague.A knight returning to Sweden after the Crusades seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the Grim Reaper during the Black Plague.

  • Director
    • Ingmar Bergman
  • Writer
    • Ingmar Bergman
  • Stars
    • Max von Sydow
    • Gunnar Björnstrand
    • Bengt Ekerot
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    190K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,278
    252
    • Director
      • Ingmar Bergman
    • Writer
      • Ingmar Bergman
    • Stars
      • Max von Sydow
      • Gunnar Björnstrand
      • Bengt Ekerot
    • 405User reviews
    • 131Critic reviews
    • 88Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #205
    • Awards
      • 10 wins & 2 nominations

    Photos206

    Max von Sydow in The Seventh Seal (1957)
    Max von Sydow and Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal (1957)
    Max von Sydow and Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal (1957)
    Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal (1957)
    Max von Sydow and Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal (1957)
    "Sjunde inseglet, Det" (aka "The Seventh Seal") Gunnar Bjornstrand 1957 SF
    "Sjunde inseglet, Det" (aka "The Seventh Seal") Gunnar Bjornstrand 1957 SF
    "Sjunde inseglet, Det" (aka "The Seventh Seal") Bengt Ekerot 1957 SF
    "Sjunde inseglet, Det" (aka "The Seventh Seal") Bengt Ekerot, Max von Sydow 1957 SF
    The Seventh Seal (1957)
    The Seventh Seal (1957)
    Max von Sydow and Bengt Ekerot in The Seventh Seal (1957)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Max von Sydow
    Max von Sydow
    • Antonius Block
    Gunnar Björnstrand
    Gunnar Björnstrand
    • Jöns, squire
    Bengt Ekerot
    Bengt Ekerot
    • Death
    Nils Poppe
    Nils Poppe
    • Jof…
    Bibi Andersson
    Bibi Andersson
    • Mia…
    Inga Gill
    Inga Gill
    • Lisa, Blacksmith's Wife
    Maud Hansson
    Maud Hansson
    • Witch
    Inga Landgré
    Inga Landgré
    • Karin, Block's Wife
    Gunnel Lindblom
    Gunnel Lindblom
    • Girl
    Bertil Anderberg
    Bertil Anderberg
    • Raval
    Anders Ek
    Anders Ek
    • The Monk
    Åke Fridell
    Åke Fridell
    • Blacksmith Plog
    Gunnar Olsson
    Gunnar Olsson
    • Albertus Pictor, Church Painter
    Erik Strandmark
    Erik Strandmark
    • Jonas Skat
    Siv Aleros
    • Flagellant
    • (uncredited)
    Sten Ardenstam
    • Knight
    • (uncredited)
    Harry Asklund
    • The Landlord
    • (uncredited)
    Benkt-Åke Benktsson
    Benkt-Åke Benktsson
    • Merchant at the Inn
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Ingmar Bergman
    • Writer
      • Ingmar Bergman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ingmar Bergman credited the film with helping him overcome his crippling fear of death. Because the film dealt so overtly with the subject, he found it a highly cathartic experience.
    • Goofs
      The chess players focus on capturing the Queen. The Queen was not a super-powerful piece until centuries later when a recent chess-variant initially called "chess of the mad queen" became more popular than the classic game.
    • Quotes

      Antonius Block: We must make an idol of our fear, and call it god.

    • Connections
      Edited into Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      Hållas Mellan Rona
      Music by Erik Nordgren

      Lyrics by Ingmar Bergman

      Sung by Gunnar Björnstrand

    User reviews405

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Didn't like it but will definitely see it again in the distant future
    First of all, I have taken the time to read some posts on this movie before writing my review because I was searching for lots of answers. Didn't get many though, the popular thing fans like to say (and please, no pun intended) is that it just takes time to understand and appreciate this movie. To this I quickly reply that my perception of "Det Sjunde Inseglet" was that it is a rather dull, if not eventless, movie. It has some really nice moments (and for some reason I really liked the concept of a man playing chess with death itself) but in the end almost nothing is resolved except from the main protagonist who, at the brink of his death, discovers that it's love that makes people want to live ,very roughly put, I apologize, but even this revelation was hidden from the writer of this comment. And this is what bothered me the most, I couldn't read (for the lack of a better word) any of these important details, the movie very coldly rolled in front of my eyes and I just didn't get it! Now the easiest and dumbest thing to say is that this is all the fault of the director for not having a more universal way of film-making, rather the viewer has to decipher such information if he wants to fully appreciate his movies. I've just realized that I could say the same for Kubrick's visionary movies, I didn't like most, scratch that, none of them the first time around, they grew on me after a second viewing. And I dig Kubrick, a lot!!!

    I was also surprised with the admiration the cinematography received, it did not impact me whatsoever (and I am more so a visual that a sensual movie buff and love this kind of stuff). All in all, as Antonius Block, I am searching for answers, important ones. It bothers me a lot that I don't appreciate this movie, and I ask anyone to help me resolve my problem.

    What am I missing? What don't I get? What should I know about "The Seventh Seal", its meaning, its importance, its making, its director...?

    Thank you for your time
    helpful•123
    47
    • bsinc
    • Sep 6, 2005

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    FAQ7

    • What is 'The Seventh Seal' about?
    • Is this movie based on a book?
    • To what does the "seventh seal" refer?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 13, 1958 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Sweden
    • Languages
      • Swedish
      • Latin
    • Also known as
      • Sedmi pečat
    • Filming locations
      • Hovs Hallar - Naturreservat, Skåne län, Sweden(Opening beach scene and ending scene)
    • Production company
      • Svensk Filmindustri (SF)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $150,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $311,212
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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