Shame (1968)

In the midst of a civil war, former violinists Jan and Eva Rosenberg, who have a tempestuous marriage, run a farm on a rural island. In spite of their best efforts to escape their homeland, the war impinges on every aspect of their lives.

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman

Stars:

Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Sigge Fürst

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 9 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Liv Ullmann	...	Eva Rosenberg
Max von Sydow	...	Jan Rosenberg, Evas man
Sigge Fürst	...	Filip, gerillaledare
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	överste Jacobi, borgmästare
Birgitta Valberg	...	fru Jacobi
Hans Alfredson	...	Fredrik Lobelius, antikhandlare
Ingvar Kjellson	...	Oswald, lärare i förhörslokalen
Frank Sundström	...	Förhörsledaren
Ulf Johansson	...	Läkaren i förhörslokalen
Vilgot Sjöman	...	Tv-intervjuaren
Bengt Eklund	...	vakten på Jacobis expedition
Gösta Prüzelius	...	Kyrkoherden i förhörslokalen
Willy Peters	...	En äldre officer
Barbro Hiort af Ornäs	...	Kvinna i flyktingbåten
Agda Helin	...	Handlarfrun

Storyline

During civil war, two musicians retreat to a rural island to farm. They are apolitical; a neighbor sometimes gives them a fish; wine is a luxury. They love each other, but there are problems: the war upsets Jan, he is weepy, too sensitive; Eva wants children, he does not. The war suddenly arrives: rebels attack, neighbors die. When the other side restores order, Jan and Eva are arrested as collaborators. After frightening and roughing them up, the local colonel releases them; then he begins appearing at their farmhouse: to talk or to pursue Eva? He gives her money. The rebels return; chaos ensues. Jan becomes violent and murderous; they flee. Can they escape? If so, to what?

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Plot Keywords:

island | farm | musician | fictional war | soldier | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ingmar Bergman's only depiction of the future.

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Goofs

Eva is not wearing any socks when Jacobi arrives but several times during his visit she can be seen wearing a couple of black socks and no socks at all again.

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Quotes

Eva Rosenberg: Sometimes everything seems just like a dream. It's not my dream, it's somebody else's. But I have to participate in it. How do you think someone who dreams about us would feel when he wakes up. Feeling ashamed?

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Connections

Referenced in The Passion of Anna (1969)

User Reviews

Bergman's only "sci-fi"

'Shame' as it is best known world wide, is probably most underrated Bergman movie at the moment. Or perhaps little seen is more correct term, as most people who have seen it consider 'Shame' to be among the Bergman's bests. And the film is too great for such unnoticed film.

Liv Ullmann and Max von Sydow star as wife and husband getting caught in the horrors of war. Although the war is shown mostly without epic battle scenes, rather shown just by soldiers marching by and fighter jets flying over, the sound of imminent doom is in every frame. 'Shame' is wonderful character study and what war does to a peoples' psychology. Max von Sydow's Jan is intelligent, but somewhat cowardly man. Some can even call him weak, while Liv Ullmann's Eva is strong and independent woman, who really cares about her husband. The character descriptions seem simple at first - strong wife, weak husband - but there's much more hidden in these people. Although Jan is not your typical macho guy, his intelligence compensate lot of his cowardice. And Eva, although strong woman, is still in need of some support from her husband. While the war comes closer and closer we see their relationship starting to fall apart, and then getting stronger again, until they get right into the middle of war horrors, with both sides riding over their farm. They both grow cold and stay together just for habit. Jan becomes cruel and violent, while Eva becomes not exactly submissive, but rather distant.

Bergman has stated his dissatisfaction with the film in several occasions, and never considered it his best work, but 'Shame' is must see film.

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

23 December 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shame

Filming Locations:

Visby, Gotland, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

SEK2,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinematograph AB, Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1