Face to Face (1976)

A married couple of psychiatrists has their relationship tested when one suffers a mental breakdown.

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman

Stars:

Liv Ullmann, Erland Josephson, Aino Taube

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Liv Ullmann	...	Dr. Jenny Isaksson
Erland Josephson	...	Dr. Tomas Jacobi
Aino Taube	...	The Grandmother
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	The Grandfather
Kristina Adolphson	...	Nurse Veronica
Marianne Aminoff	...	Jenny's Mother
Gösta Ekman	...	Mikael Strömberg
Helene Friberg	...	Anna, Jenny's Daughter
Ulf Johansson	...	Helmuth Wankel (as Ulf Johanson)
Sven Lindberg	...	Jenny's Husband
Jan-Erik Lindqvist	...	Jenny's Father
Birger Malmsten	...	Rapist
Sif Ruud	...	Elisabeth Wankel
Göran Stangertz	...	Rapist
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mona Andersson	...	Patient

Storyline

A sensitive exploration of the tragic irony of the psychiatrist suffering with mental illness. Dr. Jenny Isaksson is a psychiatrist married to another psychiatrist; both are successful in their jobs but slowly, agonizingly, she succumbs to a breakdown. Jenny is haunted by images and emotions from her past and eventually cannot function, either as a wife, a doctor or as an individual.

---

Plot Keywords:

psychiatrist | suicide attempt | hallucination | dream | rape | 

---

Taglines:

The greatest Bergman

---

Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Sweden USA

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

5 April 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Face to Face

Filming Locations:

Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinematograph AB, Sveriges Radio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min 176 min (4 parts) (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The TV version is a four-part mini-series: 1. Uppbrottet (The Separation); 2. Gränsen (The Border); 3. Skymningslandet (The Twilight Land); 4. Återkomsten (The Return). A total of 176 minutes compared to the film's 130 minutes (25 fps).

---

Quotes

Dr. Jenny Isaksson: You become grateful for the horrors you're familiar with. The unknown horrors are worse.

---

Connections

Referenced in Annie Hall (1977)

---

Soundtracks

Lullaby, Opus 49, No.4
(uncredited)
By Johannes Brahms
Hummed by Liv Ullmann

User Reviews

A Scary Ride Through the Dark Labyrinth of the Subconscious

Ingmar Bergman's films always had, or at least, most of them had, a very dark and almost horror-ish tone to them, particularly films such as "Persona" and "The Seventh Seal", both which I consider among the finest films ever made. It was no surprise that his two 'official' horror films - this one and the slightly superior "Hour of the Wolf", come across as being not only of the genre's finest, but also one of the scariest of all time. Liv Ullman gives a breathtaking performance of a psychiatrist who turns out to be just as crazy as the people she takes care of. We follow her as she is lost in the hellish labyrinth of her subconscious, and harassed by horrible demons she created herself. Meanwhile, on the outside world, her 'darker side' takes over, and her friend and co-worker, played by the great Erland Josephson, tries to save her. Ullman's gradual descent into insanity is jaw-dropping, and here she gives her most twisted, hysterical performances for the likes of Isabelle Adjani in "Possession" and Catherine Denueve in "Repulsion". For the acting and Bergman's superb direction alone the film manages to convey a sense of dread and fear unlike anything Hollywood had done to this point, and indeed, the film does make the majority of American horror films made at that time look stupid in comparison. Overall, 10/10. A masterpiece.