SUMMER INTERLUDE

Sweden, 1951, 96 minutes, Black and white.
Maj- Britt Nillson, Alf Kjellin.
Directed by Ingmar Bergman.

Ingmar Bergman's first important film of the fifties. He had established himself as writer and director with plays and with films in the late forties. He had given a great boost to the Swedish film industry. Critics say that this is the first film which indicated the genius was to produce so many films over succeeding decades. In retrospect one can see the themes and the treatment realistically and symbolically which was to pervade Bergman's films over the decades. His film immediately after this was Summer With Monica - with which it links thematically very strongly. The star of this film was Maj- Brit Nillson who had starred in several of Bergman's films. Treatment is serious. The theme is love and death. The background is a familiar one to Bergman: the world of theatre and music.

1. The impact of the film as the work of Ingmar Bergman? The early phases of his career? Signs of themes and styles to come? In retrospect? An interpretation of the film in the light of later films?

2. Bergman's techniques and interests in the early fifties? The Swedish background and production? The quality of the black and white photography, light and darkness. interiors and exteriors? The various devices for illustrating the plot: realism, symbol? The use of he sea, the weather, the seasons?

3. The musical background, the world of ballet, the choice of Swan Lake and the scenes presented? The overtone of Coppelius? The classical atmosphere for the treatment of the love story?

4. How important was the structure of the film? The focus on Marie as the star? The delivery of the diary and its effect on her? The importance of the encounter with David and her trip back to the island and through her memories? The placing of the flashbacks? The present plot and Marie coming to terms with herself in the light of the flashbacks and the intercutting of the two plots? The importance of Erland in the past, in the present, the catalyst of the diary? The new encounter with David? The advice of Coppelius? The possibility of integration of past and present and the facing of the future? The psychological freedom, to love?

5. The importance of the various symbolised: omens, the smell of the theatre, the lights, the opinions given, the weather, the sky and the clouds, the silence, the owls, dreams. the theatrical symbols especially the grease paint?

6. The contribution of the ballet and its music, art. stylized skills? The practice sequences and their discipline - a symbol for Marie especially after the tragedy? The beauty of ballet, its physical involvement? The recapitulation of the film with the finale from Swan Lake?

7. The significance of the title and the focus on the interlude and its place in Marie’s life? The focus on summer and the significance of it as a season? A summer interlude for the young, first love and its joy, the transition from summer to autumn and the prospects of the future, death in autumn? Its effect and the winter consequences for Marie and her life?

8. How attractive a heroine was Marie? Strong, involved in her career, a star? Seeing people's reaction to her at the theatre? David and his expulsion from the theatre? The visit of Erland and leaving the diary? Marie's aging? Her decision to make the trip and the chance encounter with the vicar and his comments and his presence in the flashbacks especially with the old lady dying of cancer and playing chess with her? Her appearance, journey on the boat? Her wandering into the house, the island, the cliffs and the shore? Her wandering through her memories and facing them? The confrontation with Erland and his advice? His presence to her at the beginning, an evil presence, his seduction of her, his redemption through giving the diary that he had taken? How able was she to return to the theatre and rehearse? Her sitting at the mirror and receiving Coppelius's advice, taking off the grease paint? Looking at herself and coming to terms with herself? The question of age and her future, career? Her capacity to love David? The importance of his reading the diary to understand what had happened to her?

9. Her hardness as she grew older and the explanation of it? The importance of Erland. as a character and his presence? Her imprisoning herself and his imprisoning her? Her ability to forget the affair with Henrik and its hurt? Did this seem possible? The risk of reopening the hurtful memories?

10. Why did Erland send the diary at this particular stage? Their discussion on the island? His love for her and wanting her to be freed?

11. The importance of Marie’s narrative and its confession style? An acknowledgement of the past and its power? For healing?

12. The device of Henrik’s diary and its revelation of himself, his love for Marie, the incidents and their being visualized in memory? Whose memories were visualised ? Henrik's or Marie’s?

13. The narrative development of the interlude within the context of the flashbacks? The summer, the place, Henrik and his youth, Marie and the attractive young girl, their meeting, their relationship and joy in being together, seduction, love? The rapport between the two and the integration of the sexuality? The experiences shared during
the summer and their exhilaration? The significance of the fight about Marie’s work? Henrik as strong, weak - his running away and Marie's following him? Their reconciliation? The building up of the possibilities and their facing the future?

14. The effect of facing the future, the talk about the seasons and the sudden intrusion of death? Death and the seeming futility of what had gone before? The futility of plans? Death as the ending of a life for those who die as well as for those who live?

15. Marie’s trying to cope? Her refuge in Erland and the affair? The background of Erland and why she trusted in him? The importance of the vicar and the religious overtones? The old lady and her dying of cancer and her attitude to Henrik? The talk about death?

16. The aftermath for Marie and the spinning out of her life over the years? Her immediate longing for Henrik and the death of memories?

17. How well did the film illustrate the interplay between past and present? The importance of at some stage reliving the past in order to integrate it - the futility of living in the past, the hurt of forgetting it?

18. The contribution of the ballet master and his comments. the clown and his comments, the stage-hands and their reaction?

19. The importance of David and the possibility of Marie’s love for him? His appearing at the beginning and end? The need for him to read the diary?

20. The significance of an interlude in a person's life and its aftermath? The insights of the younger Bergman?