#A9/#614: BERGMAN, Ingmar: Summer with Monika (1953)

BERGMAN, Ingmar (Sweden)

Summer with Monika [1953]

Spine #A9/Spine #614

Blu-ray

2012 synopsis

Inspired by the earthy eroticism of Harriet Andersson, in the first of her many roles for him, Ingmar Bergman had a major international breakthrough with this sensual and ultimately ravaging tale of young love. A girl (Andersson) and boy (Lars Ekborg) from working-class families in Stockholm run away from home to spend a secluded, romantic summer at the beach, far from parents and responsibilities. Inevitably, it is not long before the pair are forced to return to reality. The version initially released in the U.S. was reedited by its distributor into something more salacious, but the original Summer with Monika (Sommaren med Monika), presented here, is a work of stunning maturity and one of Bergman's most important films.

2018 synopsis

Inspired by the earthy eroticism of Harriet Andersson, in the first of many roles for him, Bergman turned in this work of stunning maturity, a sensual and ravaging tale of young love. A girl (Andersson) and boy (Lars Ekborg) from working-class families in Stockholm run away from home to spend a secluded, romantic summer at the beach. Inevitably, it is not long before the pair are forced to return to reality. Although Summer with Monika was initially quietly received, its reputation gathered steam throughout the 1950s, and it became an international sensation.

97 minutes
Black & White

Monaural

in Swedish

1:37:1 aspect ratio

Criterion Release 2012/2018

Director/Writers

Ingmar Bergman was 35 when he directed Summer with Monika.

Screenplay by Bergman and Per Anders Fogelström.

From the novel by Fogelström.

Other Bergman films in the Collection:

#A1/Eclipse Series 1: Crisis (1946)
#A2/Eclipse Series 1: A Ship to India (1947)

#A3/Eclipse Series 1: Port of Call (1948)
#A4/Eclipse Series 1: Thirst (1949)
#A5/Eclipse Series 1: To Joy (1950)
#A6: Summer Interlude (1951)
#A7: Waiting Women (1952)
#A8: Sawdust and Tinsel (1953)
#A10: A Lesson in Love (1954)
#A11: Dreams (1955)
#A12/#237: Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
#A13/#11: The Seventh Seal (1957)
#A14/#139: Wild Strawberries (1957)
#A15: Brink of Life (1958)
#A16/#537: The Magician (1958)
#A17: The Devil's Eye (1960)
#A18/#321: The Virgin Spring (1960)
#A19/#209: Through a Glass Darkly (1961)
#A20/#211: The Silence (1963)
#A21/#210: Winter Light (1962)
#A22: All These Women (1964)
#A23/#701: Persona (1966)
#A24: Hour of the Wolf (1968)
#A25/#961: Shame (1968)
#A26: The Passion of Anna (1969)
#A27: The Rite (1969)
#A28: Fårö Document [1970)

#A29: The Touch (1971)
#A30/#101: Cries and Whispers (1972)
#A31/#229: Scenes from a Marriage (1973)
#A32/#71: The Magic Flute (1975)
#A33: The Serpent's Egg (1977)
#A34/#60: Autumn Sonata (1978)
#A35: Fårö Document 1979 (1979)

#A36: From the Life of Marionettes (1980)
#A37/#263: Fanny and Alexander -- The Theatrical Version (1982)
#A38/#262: Fanny and Alexander -- The Television Version (1982)
#A39/#264: The Making of Fanny and Alexander (1982)
#A40: After the Rehearsal (1984)
#A41: Saraband (2003)

The Film

The Extras

The Booklet

#0000A: 250-page book.

#614: Thirty-two page booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Laura Hubner, a 1958 review by filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, and a publicity piece from 1953 in which Bergman interviews himself.

Commentary

None.

Interview 1

With Harriet Andersson, conducted by film scholar Peter Cowie in 2012.

Introduction

By Bergman.

Interview 2

With film scholar Eric Schaefer about Kroger Babb and his distribution of Monika, the Story of a Bad Girl! as an exploitation film.

Images from the Playground

A half-hour documentary by Stig Björkman featuring behind-the-scenes footage shot by Bergman, archival interviews with Bergman, and interviews with actresses Bibi Andersson and Harriet Andersson.

Trailer

99

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