Fanny and Alexander (1982)

Two young Swedish children experience the many comedies and tragedies of their family, the Ekdahls.

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman

Stars:

Bertil Guve, Pernilla Allwin, Kristina Adolphson

Won 4 Oscars. Another 21 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kristina Adolphson	...	Siri - Ekdahlska huset
Börje Ahlstedt	...	Carl Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
Pernilla Allwin	...	Fanny Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
Kristian Almgren	...	Putte Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
Carl Billquist	...	Police Superintendent Jespersson - Ekdahlska huset
Axel Düberg	...	Witness to Bishop's Death - Ekdahlska huset
Allan Edwall	...	Oscar Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
Siv Ericks	...	Alida - Ekdahlska huset
Ewa Fröling	...	Emilie Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
Patricia Gélin	...	Statue - Ekdahlska huset (as Patricia Gelin)
Majlis Granlund	...	Miss Vega - Ekdahlska huset
Maria Granlund	...	Petra Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
Bertil Guve	...	Alexander Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
Eva von Hanno	...	Berta - Ekdahlska huset
Sonya Hedenbratt	...	Aunt Emma - Ekdahlska huset

Storyline

It's the early twentieth century Sweden. Adolescent siblings Alexander and Fanny Ekdahl lead a relatively joyous and exuberant life with their well-off extended paternal family, led by the family matriarch, their grandmother, Helena Ekdahl. The openness of the family culture is exemplified by Helena's now deceased husband ending up becoming best friends with one of her lovers, a Jewish puppet maker named Isak Jacobi, and their Uncle Gustav Adolf's open liaison with one of the family maids, Maj, who everyone in the family adores, even Gustav Adolf's wife, Alma. Between the siblings, Alexander in particular has inherited the family's love of storytelling, his parents and his grandmother who are actors and who manage their own theater. Things change for Alexander and Fanny when their father, Oscar, dies shortly after Christmas 1907. Although she truly does believe she loves him, the children's mother, Emilie, decides to marry Bishop Edvard Vergérus, who she first met as the officiate at ...

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Plot Keywords:

domestic violence | grief | marriage of convenience | abusive stepfather | extramarital affair | 

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Taglines:

En film av Ingmar Bergman

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Sweden France West Germany

Language:

Swedish German Yiddish English French

Release Date:

17 December 1982 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Fanny and Alexander

Filming Locations:

Valvgatan, Uppsala, Uppsala Län, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$6,783,304

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,795,771

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinematograph AB, Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI), Gaumont

Technical Specs

Runtime:

188 min 312 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #263.

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Goofs

In the theatre scene, early in the movie, Georg Årlin, who plays a high ranking military man, is seen whispering with a person sitting next to him. The next shot shows other people talking, and then Årlin is seen behind them at the left corner, in conversation with no one, staring into space in front of him.

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Quotes

Biskopsgården - Bishop Edvard Vergerus: You don't get rid of me that easy!

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Alternate Versions

Theatrical version is 188 minutes long. Director's cut is 312 minutes long.

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Connections

Edited into Fanny and Alexander (1983)

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Soundtracks

A Tailor and His Wife
Sung by choir (the student friends).

User Reviews

Triumphant

This film could never have been made in the United States. I realize when it was made Bergman had been around for a long time and had his own clout but it still has too much of a philosophical slant to be mainstream here. This film is amazing. The first hour moves at a slow pace but it really sets up the rest of the movie well and then it really picks up. The cinematography is breathtaking and while this story makes you think a lot you don't feel ambivalent towards the characters through the rest of the first film after having been slowly introduced to all the characters you have a certain identifcation that is purely emotional and blends wonderfully with the other aspects of the film. It's truly great and should be considered one of Bergman's best works.