The Magic Flute (1975)

The Queen of the Night offers her daughter Pamina to Tamino, but he has to bring her back from her father and priest Sarastro. She gives a magic flute to Tamino and magic bells to the bird ... See full summary »

Director:

Ingmar Bergman (uncredited)

Writers:

Emanuel Schikaneder (libretto), Ingmar Bergman (screenplay)

Stars:

Ulrik Cold, Josef Köstlinger, Irma Urrila

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Josef Köstlinger	...	Tamino
Irma Urrila	...	Pamina
Håkan Hagegård	...	Papageno
Elisabeth Erikson	...	Papagena
Britt-Marie Aruhn	...	Första damen (First Lady)
Kirsten Vaupel	...	Andra damen (Second Lady)
Birgitta Smiding	...	Tredje damen (Third Lady)
Ulrik Cold	...	Sarastro
Birgit Nordin	...	Nattens Drottning
Ragnar Ulfung	...	Monostatos
Erik Sædén	...	Talaren
Ulf Johansson	...	Andra prästen (Second Priest)
Gösta Prüzelius	...	Första prästen (First Priest)
Jerker Arvidson	...	Vakt i Prövningarnas Hus
Hans Johansson	...	Vakt i Prövningarnas Hus

Storyline

The Queen of the Night offers her daughter Pamina to Tamino, but he has to bring her back from her father and priest Sarastro. She gives a magic flute to Tamino and magic bells to the bird hunter Papageno, who follows Tamino and wants to find a wife. The duo travels in a journey of love and knowledge.

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Plot Keywords:

magical instrument | flute | priest | journey | queen | 

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Taglines:

We only see Bergman, we only hear Mozart

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Liv Ullmann, Erland Josephson, Sven Nykvist and Ingmar Bergman can all be seen in the audience during the Overture.

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Crazy Credits

There are no onscreen credits in this film, other than the title.

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Connections

Version of La flûte enchantée (2001)

User Reviews

Probably the greatest movie of an opera ever

I first saw this movie when I was in my teens, and it was the first opera experience I truly loved. Since I now work in opera, that was ultimately a very important event in my life! Bergman manages to achieve the impossible--a perfect synthesis of drama and music, the visual and the aural. (Years ago someone told me he thought that opera--the art that combines drama with music--ended up by denigrating both forms, and I don't completely disagree with that.) But in this almost magical movie, all of the flaws inherent in the piece (and there are many--poor dramatic structure, confusing story line, nonsensical plot elements) are ironed out, or somehow don't matter. Visually, it's sumptuous, thanks to Sven Nykvist's usual gorgeous cinematography, and aurally it's quite pleasing, despite some pretty mediocre singing--but thanks to Bergman's genius, that doesn't matter, either. Because of his careful work with the singing actors, every intention and dramatic impulse is realized, all motivations are clear--something you never see on an opera stage. Of course, much of it is impossible on an opera stage.....Bergman can use close-ups where opera can't. And a little ways into the opera, one realizes that gradually, imperceptibly, the stage has "opened out", and we're on sets and in places that would never be possible in a theater. He makes it all work, seamlessly.

In a way, the beautiful 18th-century Drottningholm Court Theater is a secondary star--one can't imagine a more perfect place for this opera to be performed. But the real star (among the singer/actors, at least) is Håkan Hagegård. There is no more beautiful and charming (both physically and vocally) Papageno imaginable--he became an international opera star a few years later. He more than compensates for all the other weak vocal links in the cast.

You'll never see a better "Magic Flute" than this.

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

1 January 1975 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

The Magic Flute

Filming Locations:

Drottningholm Castle Theater, Drottningholm Castle, Drottningholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

$650,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,710

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sveriges Radio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1