The Virgin Spring (1960)

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.

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ulla Isaksson

Stars:

Max von Sydow, Birgitta Valberg, Gunnel Lindblom

Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations.

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

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.

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Plot Keywords:

virgin | rape | murder | revenge | pregnancy | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish German

Release Date:

14 November 1960 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Virgin Spring

Filming Locations:

Dalarnas län, Sweden

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,526,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The bridge keeper played by Axel Slangus is clearly supposed to be Odin. Beside his comments about recognizing Ingeri as if they have meet before (clearly suggesting he heard her prayer at the beginning of the film) there are several nods to Odinic lore in the scene. Before the bridge keeper appears, a raven is seated outside his hut. The raven was considered to be sacred to Odin. When the bridge keeper is finally shown up close we can see that he is one-eyed which is Odin's most prominent feature, having sacrificed an eye to attain wisdom. Finally when Ingeri sits in the high-seat she suddenly has seemingly clairvoyant hearing. This is a nod to Odin's high-seat Hlidskjalf from which he could see all things happening in the world.

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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).

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Quotes

Beggar: Flying birds find something, sitting birds only find death. I have found both women and churches.

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Connections

Referenced in Never Sleep Again: The Making of 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (2006)

User Reviews

One of the most heartbreaking films I have ever seen

... 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.