An innocent yet pampered young virgin and her family's pregnant and jealous servant set out to deliver candles to church, but only one returns from events that transpire in the woods along the way.
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Title: The Virgin Spring (1960)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Max von Sydow | ... | Töre | |
| Birgitta Valberg | ... | Märeta | |
| Gunnel Lindblom | ... | Ingeri | |
| Birgitta Pettersson | ... | Karin | |
| Axel Düberg | ... | Thin Herdsman | |
| Tor Isedal | ... | Mute Herdsman | |
| Allan Edwall | ... | Beggar | |
 |
Ove Porath | ... | Boy |
|
|
Axel Slangus | ... | Bridge Keeper |
| Gudrun Brost | ... | Frida | |
| Oscar Ljung | ... | Simon | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
|
|
Tor Borong | ... | Farm-hand |
|
|
Leif Forstenberg | ... | Farm-hand |
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Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Set in beautiful 14th century Sweden, it is the sombre, powerful fable of wealthy land-owning parents whose daughter, a young virgin, is brutally raped and murdered by goat herders after her half sister has invoked a pagan curse. By a bizarre twist of fate, the murderers ask for food and shelter from the dead girl's parents, who, discovering the truth about their erstwhile lodgers, exact a chilling revenge. Written by L.H. Wong <as9401k56@ntuvax.ntu.ac.sg>
Genres:
DramaParents Guide:
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Inspired by "Rashomon" by Akira Kurosawa. See more »Goofs
If you look closely when the boy is placing dirt on Karin's body, you can see her torso move as the actress breathes (even though she was supposed to be dead). See more »Quotes
Töre: Heavenly Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with Your host of angels, deliver us today from the devil's chokehold. God, grant that neither temptation, shame, nor danger befall thy servants this day. Amen.See more »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
SwedenRelease Date:
14 November 1960 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Virgin Spring See more »Edit
Box Office
Gross USA:
$1,526,000Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1Contribute to This Page
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... and that's about all I can SAY about it. I saw this film four, maybe five years ago. And to this day, I feel a blow to my gut whenever I remember it. To this day, it haunts me - especially (and not surprisingly) the figure of the little boy.
This is a raw, uncompromising, unbiased parable on love and revenge; on humanity. It is set in 14th century Sweden - but its "message" is timeless: as timeless as love and vengefulness themselves. As timeless as humanity itself. Because the mores may change, but today, as 800 years ago, people are still helpless in their (perhaps inevitable) core existential ignorance, still subject to the immense pain of losing a loved one, of the inexplicable torments that often befall just and righteous, "good" people.
And that is what makes this a brutal, heartrending, unforgettable film.