#0000A/#614: BERGMAN, Ingmar: Summer With Monika (1953)

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BERGMAN, Ingmar (Sweden)
Summer With Monika [1953]
Spine #0000A/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


From the novel by Per Anders Fogelström.
Screenplay by Ingmar Bergman and Fogelström.
Bergman was 35 when he directed Summer With Monika.

Other Bergman films in the Collection:


The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

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

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

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