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Fanny and Alexander

Original title: Fanny och Alexander
  • 19821982
  • RR
  • 3h 8m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
63K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,725
1,658
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Pernilla Allwin and Bertil Guve in Fanny och Alexander (1982)
  • Drama
Two young Swedish children in the 1900s experience the many comedies and tragedies of their lively and affectionate theatrical family, the Ekdahls.Two young Swedish children in the 1900s experience the many comedies and tragedies of their lively and affectionate theatrical family, the Ekdahls.Two young Swedish children in the 1900s experience the many comedies and tragedies of their lively and affectionate theatrical family, the Ekdahls.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
63K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,725
1,658
  • Director
    • Ingmar Bergman
  • Writer
    • Ingmar Bergman
  • Stars
    • Bertil Guve
    • Pernilla Allwin
    • Kristina Adolphson
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ingmar Bergman
  • Writer
    • Ingmar Bergman
  • Stars
    • Bertil Guve
    • Pernilla Allwin
    • Kristina Adolphson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 157User reviews
    • 103Critic reviews
    • 100Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 4 Oscars
      • 25 wins & 12 nominations total

    Photos113

    Ewa Fröling and Jan Malmsjö in Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Bertil Guve in Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Allan Edwall and Ewa Fröling in Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Ewa Fröling and Jan Malmsjö in Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Pernilla Allwin and Bertil Guve in Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Pernilla Allwin, Ewa Fröling, and Bertil Guve in Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Pernilla Allwin, Ewa Fröling, and Bertil Guve in Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Fanny och Alexander (1982)
    Fanny och Alexander (1982)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bertil Guve
    Bertil Guve
    • Alexander Ekdahl - Ekdahlska husetas Alexander Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
    Pernilla Allwin
    Pernilla Allwin
    • Fanny Ekdahl - Ekdahlska husetas Fanny Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
    Kristina Adolphson
    Kristina Adolphson
    • Siri - Ekdahlska husetas Siri - Ekdahlska huset
    Börje Ahlstedt
    Börje Ahlstedt
    • Carl Ekdahl - Ekdahlska husetas Carl Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
    Kristian Almgren
    Kristian Almgren
    • Putte Ekdahl - Ekdahlska husetas Putte Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
    Carl Billquist
    Carl Billquist
    • Police Superintendent Jespersson - Ekdahlska husetas Police Superintendent Jespersson - Ekdahlska huset
    Axel Düberg
    Axel Düberg
    • Witness to Bishop's Death - Ekdahlska husetas Witness to Bishop's Death - Ekdahlska huset
    Allan Edwall
    Allan Edwall
    • Oscar Ekdahl - Ekdahlska husetas Oscar Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
    Siv Ericks
    Siv Ericks
    • Alida - Ekdahlska husetas Alida - Ekdahlska huset
    Ewa Fröling
    Ewa Fröling
    • Emilie Ekdahl - Ekdahlska husetas Emilie Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
    Patricia Gélin
    • Statue - Ekdahlska husetas Statue - Ekdahlska huset
    • (as Patricia Gelin)
    Majlis Granlund
    • Miss Vega - Ekdahlska husetas Miss Vega - Ekdahlska huset
    Maria Granlund
    • Petra Ekdahl - Ekdahlska husetas Petra Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
    Eva von Hanno
    • Berta - Ekdahlska husetas Berta - Ekdahlska huset
    Sonya Hedenbratt
    Sonya Hedenbratt
    • Aunt Emma - Ekdahlska husetas Aunt Emma - Ekdahlska huset
    Olle Hilding
    • Old Clergyman - Ekdahlska husetas Old Clergyman - Ekdahlska huset
    Svea Holst
    • Miss Ester - Ekdahlska husetas Miss Ester - Ekdahlska huset
    Jarl Kulle
    Jarl Kulle
    • Gustav Adolf Ekdahl - Ekdahlska husetas Gustav Adolf Ekdahl - Ekdahlska huset
    • Director
      • Ingmar Bergman
    • Writer
      • Ingmar Bergman
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    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 Oscar's funeral. She also wants a father figure for the children. Going into the marriage, Emilie has inclinations that it will be a much different life than she had with the Ekdahls, but is not prepared for the harsh, austere and strict life Edvard rules with an iron fist. Emilie, Alexander and Fanny end up being prisoners in the bishop's stark and humorless house. As Alexander butts head with his stepfather and tries to learn how to keep to his own principles while obeying Edvard, Emilie tries to figure out a way to regain her and her children's own destiny, as Edvard will not consent to divorce, and her "desertion" in the eyes of the law means that Alexander and Fanny would become his wards. —Huggo
    • austerity
    • domestic violence
    • grief
    • marriage of convenience
    • abusive stepfather
    • 72 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • En film av Ingmar Bergman
    • Genre
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      At the time, the largest film ever made in Sweden (with 60 speaking parts and over 1200 extras) and the most expensive, with a budget of $6 million.
    • Goofs
      Among the Christmas decorations in the Ekdahl house, there is a garland of miniature flags of the Nordic countries, including the Finnish flag. The Finnish flag was in fact only designed and adopted after Finnish independence in 1917, a decade after the events of the film.
    • Quotes

      Ekdahlska huset - Helena Ekdahl: Are you sad because you've grown old?

      Jacobis hus - Isak Jacobi: I'm certainly not. Everything's getting worse. Worse people, worse machines, worse wars... and worse weather. I'm glad I'll soon be dead.

    • Alternate versions
      Theatrical version is 188 minutes long. Director's cut is 312 minutes long.
    • Connections
      Edited into Fanny and Alexander (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Suite No 2 for Cello Solo
      Written by Benjamin Britten

      Performed by Frans Helmerson

    User reviews157

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Absolutely Awe-Inspiring
    You could call this my opinion of Bergman's Fanny and Alexander...as opposed to a review. I really don't feel the need in describing or summarizing this film. Any review, as I see it, would be pointless. Words just can't convey what makes a truly great movie as good as it is. The best "review" I could give Fanny and Alexander is to just see the damned thing. If you can't sit through it, so be it. But, those who are willing to give it their attention, I promise, will be rewarded continuously through the film's duration. Anyone who sits through the entire film, especially the full-length version, I think, will find it difficult to say that they were bored. More than likely, they will find it easy to say, "That was a damned good movie." I, myself, was surprised. Previous to seeing F&A, I had never seen a film quite this long. I'm glad I did. I'll also throw this in: most film buffs, I think it's safe to say, will always consider Bergman to be the master of gloom. This may be true, but I think Fanny and Alexander proves beyond any doubt that his ability to express the joy that exists in life is every bit as great, and truly refreshing.
    helpful•33
    18
    • tgold78
    • Nov 14, 2006

    FAQ4

    • Was the Bishop responsible for how his previous family died?
    • What happens during Uncle Isak's visit to the Bishop's House and how?
    • Exactly what happens in Uncle Isak's house?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 17, 1982 (Sweden)
    • Countries of origin
      • Sweden
      • France
      • West Germany
    • Languages
      • Swedish
      • German
      • Yiddish
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Fanny & Alexander
    • Filming locations
      • Uppsala, Uppsala län, Sweden
    • Production companies
      • Cinematograph AB
      • Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)
      • Gaumont
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $6,783,304
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,795,771
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 8 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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