In 14th-century Sweden, an innocent yet pampered teenage girl and her family's pregnant and jealous servant set out from their farm to deliver candles to church, but only one returns from ev... Read allIn 14th-century Sweden, an innocent yet pampered teenage girl and her family's pregnant and jealous servant set out from their farm to deliver candles to church, but only one returns from events that transpire in the woods along the way.In 14th-century Sweden, an innocent yet pampered teenage girl and her family's pregnant and jealous servant set out from their farm to deliver candles to church, but only one returns from events that transpire in the woods along the way.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 6 wins & 2 nominations total
- Den gamle drängen
- (uncredited)
- Den unge drängen
- (uncredited)
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe bridge keeper played by Axel Slangus clearly is supposed to be Odin. Beside his comments about recognizing Ingeri as if they have met before (suggesting he heard her prayer at the beginning of the film), there are several nods to Odinic lore. 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, it can be seen 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.
- GoofsWhen the Boy Goat Herder is placing dirt on Karin's body, her torso moves even though she is supposed to be dead.
- Quotes
Beggar: See the smoke trembling under the roof as if with fright? Yet when it gets out in the air, it has the whole sky to swirl about in. But it doesn't know that, so it huddles and trembles in the soot under the roof. It's the same with people. They quiver like a leaf in the storm, afraid of what they know and what they don't know.
- ConnectionsEdited into Journal d un père (2023)
The luminous Birgitta Pettersson plays Karin, the lovely & virginal daughter of a farming couple (Max von Sydow, Birgitta Valberg). The striking Gunnel Lindblom plays Ingeri, the pregnant wild child whom they've taken in. One day, the two girls set off to transport some candles to church, and the nearest church is a LONG ways away. During the journey, Birgitta makes the acquaintance of two travelling herdsmen (Axel Duberg, Tor Isedal) and their much younger "brother" (Ove Porath). The two young men rape and murder poor Karin, and as luck would have it, they find shelter and food at the nearest abode: the von Sydow and Valberg household. Once the two parents put two and two together, they're ripe for revenge.
Shot in gorgeous black & white by the great Sven Nykvist, "The Virgin Spring" will attract curious viewers if they are like this viewer and are horror fans who have already seen the crude and crass Wes Craven reimagining, "The Last House on the Left". Inevitably, comparisons will be made; while each version is quite memorable in their own way, this film retains the power to shock and depress despite cinema becoming progressively more graphic as the years have gone by.
The performances are excellent. Pettersson is such an appealing presence that it's gut-wrenching what happens to her. Von Sydow is his usual tower of strength as the father who learns that vengeance is not all it's cracked up to be. Duberg and Isedal may not quite make one want to take a bath afterwards the way that Krug and company did in Cravens' film, but they're still sufficiently creepy.
Vivid and credible, this does leave its viewers with some things to think about afterwards, and offers no easy answers.
Inspired by a 13th century Swedish ballad, and scripted by Ulla Isaksson.
Eight out of 10.
- Hey_Sweden
- Mar 20, 2019
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
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- Also known as
- El manantial de la doncella
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $6,952
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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