Films waarvan ik het plot moet kennen! Flashcards
Ashes and Diamonds
Pools, 1958, Andrzej Wajda
-Maciek, Andrzej and Drewnowski bereiden zich voor om Konrad Szczuka, een political opponent te vermoorden aan het einde van de tweede wereldoorlog. Dit faalt, het blijkt dat er verongeluk twee onschuldige mensen vermoord zijn
-Major Waga, hun superieur, geeft hen het bevel om het een tweede keer te proberen.
-De mannen gaan naar een bar waar ze treuren om hun verloren comraden. Drewnowski, dronken, begint te flirten met een barvrouw: Krystyna.
-Krystyna en Maciek gaan naar bed met elkaar en ontdekken dat ze verliefd zijn op elkaar. Beiden willen niet te attached raken aan elkaar. Maciek moet weg voor zijn missie en zegt dat hij gaat proberen iets te veranderen, zodat ze samen kunnen zijn.
-Drewnowski verpest zijn carrière door met een fire extuinghiser mensen te raken.
-Szczuka hoort dat zijn kind is opgepakt en vertrekt hierheen. Maciek wacht hem op en schiet hem dood.
-Maciek wil vluchten en zegt tegen Krystyna dat hij niet dingen kon veranderen. Hij ziet dat Andrzej Drewnowski slaat, omdat deze andere normen begint aan te hangen. Als Andrzej Maciek zijn naam noemt vlucht deze weg, rent tegen Poolse soldaten aan en pakte uit schrik zijn pistool. Zij schieten en verwonden hem, zodat hij uiteindelijk sterft
Man of Marble
Pools, 1977, Andrzej Wajda
-Agnieszka is een jonge filmmaker die een film maakt over Mateusz Birkut, een bouwvakker die beroemd werd doordat hij een stunt deed om construction efficiency en brick quotas te krijgen
-Agnieszka goes to successful director Jerzy Burski. Ze komt erachter dat Birkut geselecteerd was als een voorbeeld om de efficiëntie van een nieuwe stad aan te tonen. Het verhaal van zijn record van 30.000 bakstenen leggen in een shift werd beroemd. Burski brengt Agnieszka in contact met Michalak
-Michalak had een dubbelrol, hij was security van Birkat, maar speelde ook informatie over hem door. Hij vertelt waarom Birkut niet langer beroemd wilde zijn, er vond een ongeluk plaats bij een baksteen wedstrijd waarbij Birkut zijn handen brandde aan een warme steen.
-Birkut’s vriend Wincenty Witek is gearresteerd en Birkut verliest hoop, waarna hij een ruit inslaat. Beide mannen hebben een tijd vastgezeten.
-Witek is daarna weer populair geworden. In een interview draait hij steeds om het beantwoorden van vragen heen.
-de filmcrew interviewt Handa, de vrouw van Birkut voordat hij als traitor werd gezien. Ze wordt erg gestresst en herinnert zich dat hij haar ooit kwam opzoeken. Birkut wordt een kans geboden weer succesvol te worden, maar dit weigert hij.
-Agniewsza’s filmmaterialen worden afgepakt door de autoriteit, omdat ze niet blij zijn met de voortgang van de film
-Agnieszka zoekt op aanraden van haar vader Birkut. Ze ontmoet zijn zoon Maciek, in the Gdańsk Shipyard. Deze vertelt haar dat zijn vader overleden is.
Man of Iron
-Poolse film, 1981, vervolg op Man of Marble, Andrzej Wajda
-Activist Maciek Tomczyk, the son of Man of Marble’s hero Mateusz Birkut, is leading a shipyard strike in Gdańsk against the Communist authorities. A radio journalist named Winkel is ordered by the deputy chairman of the Radio Committee to investigate Tomczyk and find compromising information about him. Winkel is sent to Gdańsk, where he is monitored by the authorities.
-The strikers refuse to give Winkel access to the shipyard, but he meets a friend, Dzidek. Dzidek knew Tomczyk in college and later recounts how Tomczyk’s father, Mateusz Birkut, would not allow his son to take part in the student protests in March 1968. From another source, Tomczyk learns that Birkut himself died during protests in December 1970. Winkel becomes increasingly sympathetic to the strikers’ cause, but continues his investigation under pressure from the authorities.
-After his father’s death, Tomczyk had married Agnieszka, who he had met when was making a documentary about Birkut’s career as a well-publicized Stakhanovite worker hero. Winkel visits Agnes, who is now in police custody for her support of the strike. Agnes describes her romance and marriage with Tomczyk and their fight for workers’ rights.
-Despite being blackmailed by the secret police for a drunk driving crash in his past, Winkel ultimately eventually refuses to complete his assignment and resigns from his job. He is admitted to the shipyard, where he joins the strikers. A government delegation reaches an agreement with Lech Wałęsa and the other strikers, and Agnes tearfully reunites with Tomczyk during the announcement. A government official warns that the agreement is “only a piece of paper,” but Tomczyk tells his father’s memorial that the strikers have “made it through the worst.”
Blind Chance
Poolse film, 1981, Krzysztof Kieślowski
-Witek (Bogusław Linda), sitting on an airplane, for some reason screams “No!” We zien een deel van zijn jeugd. Hij gaat naar medical school en date Olga. Als zijn vader overlijdt voelt hij hier niet meer voor en hij wilt de trein pakken. Vanaf hier ontstaat er een splits
-eerste variant: Witek almost crashes into the fellow drinking the beer. On the train he meets Werner (Tadeusz Łomnicki), an old Communist. Witek decides to join the Communist Party. Czuska, zijn first love, baalt dat Witek Communist wordt. On a walk with Czuszka, a policeman asks them for their papers. Since Witek is a Communist, he is allowed to go on his way, while Czuszka is detained. He attempts to make up with Czuszka, who is speaking at an opposition meeting, but she rejects him. At the airport, Witek is informed that his mission to France has been cancelled.
-Tweede variant: Witek slams into the fellow drinking the beer with such force that the mug slips from the drinker’s hand and falls to the floor. He runs headlong into a railway guard on the platform, after which he is arrested. Hij joint een anti-communistische party. He meets up with Daniel, a friend from his childhood, and his sister Wera. Wordt gedoopt. Hij wil een vlucht naar Frankrijk, maar mag dit niet tenzij hij beloofd de authorities te helpen. Terwijl hij voorspel heeft met Were wordt hij opgedragen naar de resistance te komen. De hele plek is overhoop gehaald en de enige overgebleven persoon twijfelt of Witek te vertrouwen is.
-Derde variant: Witek almost crashes into the fellow drinking the beer but stops in time and goes around him, apologizing. Hij botst niet tegen de conducteur. Witek and Olga go back to his apartment where they make love on the floor. Witek decides to resume his medical studies and soon he graduates. Olga is zwanger. Witek weigert Communistisch te worden. De dean biedt hem de kans naar Libië te gaan om lectures te geven. In de trein vertelt Olga zwanger te zijn van een tweede kind. Het vliegtuig ontploft vlak nadat deze is opgestegen.
Bleu
Poolse film, 1993, Krzysztof Kieślowski
-Een jonge, succesvolle componist heeft opdracht gekregen een muziekstuk te schrijven voor Europa, simultaan uit te voeren in twaalf lidstaten. Enkele minuten na het begin van de film rijdt de man zich met zijn dochtertje te pletter tegen een boom. De vrouw van de componist, moeder van het meisje, overleeft het ongeluk. Over haar gaat de film.
-Na de eerste schok besluit Julie tot een radicale verandering. Ze doet afstand van alles en gaat in Parijs wonen. Ze doet weinig.
-Er is de suggestie dat Julie het geheime brein was achter de muziek van haar man, en de druk neemt toe om het Europa-concert te voltooien.
-De minnares van Julie’s man krijgt het oude landhuis, het muziekstuk wordt voltooid en Julie kiest voor de voormalige medewerker van haar man.
-Terwijl de personages uit de film voorbijglijden zingt het koor een fragment uit Paulus’ brief aan de Korintiërs: “Nu echter blijven geloof, hoop en liefde, de grote drie; maar de liefde is de grootste.”
Cold war
-Poolse film, 2018, Paweł Pawlikowski
-In post-World War II Poland, Wiktor and Irena are holding auditions for a state-sponsored folk music ensemble. Wiktor’s attention is immediately captured by Zula, an ambitious and captivating young woman who is faking a peasant identity and is on probation after attacking her abusive father. Wiktor and Zula quickly develop a strong, obsessive attraction and have sex after a performance.
-Er wordt gevraagd of ze pro communist boodschappen in hun performances. Wiktor and Irena are opposed to this, but the career-driven, opportunistic Kaczmarek agrees, and a resentful Irena quits. The ensemble visits East Berlin, Wiktor plans to flee to the west with Zula, and the two affirm their love and passion. Zula fails to come to the rendezvous with Wiktor and he crosses the border alone.
-Years later, Zula meets Wiktor in Paris. When Wiktor asks Zula why she failed to appear with him to cross the border, she says that she lacked confidence in herself.
-Two years later, Wiktor is working as a film score composer in Paris, where Zula reunites with him. She has married another man to obtain a visa so that she could travel to Paris and be with Wiktor. Zula becomes jealous of Wiktor’s past lovers, and as work on her record strains their relationship, she begins to drink heavily and misbehave in public. She reveals that she had an affair with Michel and insults Wiktor, and he strikes her. She later disappears, and Wiktor confronts Michel, who reveals she has returned to Poland.
-Against the advice of a Polish embassy official in Paris, Wiktor returns to Poland. Zula meets with him at a work camp, where he reveals that he has been sentenced to a “generous” 15 years of hard labor on charges of defecting and espionage.
-Five years later, a freed Wiktor meets with Kaczmarek at a club where Zula, now a barely-functioning alcoholic, is performing. Zula arranged for an early release for Wiktor by agreeing to marry Kaczmarek, and now has a young son with him. Zula and Wiktor take a bus to an abandoned church seen at the beginning of the film, where they exchange marriage vows and prepare to commit suicide together.
The Firemen’s Ball
- Tjecho-Slowakije film, 1967, comedy, Miloš Forman
-The bumbling volunteer fire department in a small Czechoslovak town organizes a ball in the town hall, including a raffle and a beauty pageant. The firefighters also plan to present a small ceremonial fire axe as a birthday gift to their retired chairman, who has cancer.
-Raffle prizes start disappearing. Josef, one of the firefighters, sees the prizes are missing, but no one admits to knowing anything about the thefts. a bickering committee of firefighters looks for candidates for the beauty contest, but they have difficulty finding enough of them.
-The girls of the contest flee from the hall and lock themselves in the bathroom. Consequently, the crowd starts dragging replacement candidates to the stage and a melee ensues. An old woman is crowned the winner and the audience cheers.
-A siren sounds because the house of an old man, Mr. Havelka, is on fire. Everyone uses the opportunity to leave the town hall without paying for their drinks. A table is borrowed from Havelka and used to sell more alcohol to the crowd that is watching the fire.
-To help Havelka, who has lost almost everything, people donate their raffle tickets. However, nearly all of the prizes have been stolen during the ball, leaving only a few low-value items. The firefighters announce they will turn off the lights to give the thieves an opportunity to return the prizes. In the darkness all of the remaining items are also stolen
-They return to a now-empty hall, where only their retired chairman remains. The committee presents him the gift box and he gives a heartfelt speech thanking them, but when the box is opened, it turns out that the axe itself has also been stolen. The next morning, outside in the snow, Havelka lies down in his bed next to the fireman set on guard beside the ruins of his home.
The shop on Main Street
-Tjecho Slowakije, 1965, Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos
-During World War II in a small town in the First Slovak Republic (a client state of Nazi Germany), mild-mannered Slovak carpenter Antonín “Tóno” Brtko is chosen by his brother-in-law, who holds an influential position in the local fascist government, to take over the sewing notions (i.e. haberdasher) shop owned by the elderly Jewish widow Rozália Lautmannová as part of the Aryanization efforts in the country.
-Brtko lets Lautmannová continue to run things in her shop, spending most of his time fixing her furniture or ineptly trying to assist her with customers, and the pair begin to develop a close relationship.
-hen he hears that the authorities are going to gather the Jewish citizenry of the town and transport them elsewhere en masse, he does not tell Lautmannová and at first considers hiding her, but he starts to question this course of action when the roundup actually begins. Drinking steadily, he eventually loses his nerve and attempts to cajole and then force Lautmannová to join her friends in the street. She finally recognizes that a pogrom is happening and panics. Brtko chases her around inside the shop, but he stops and feels ashamed of himself after he witnesses his other Jewish neighbors actually being carted away. Seeing some soldiers heading toward the shop, he throws Lautmannová, who is in a frenzy, into a closet to hide her. The soldiers just glance in the window and keep walking. When Brtko opens the closet door, he discovers Lautmannová’s dead body,[a] and, devastated, hangs himself. The movie ends with a fantasy sequence in which the now deceased Lautmannová and Brtko run and dance through the town square together.
Hou de trein in het oog
-Tjechoslowakije, 1966, Jiří Menzel
-The young Miloš Hrma, who speaks with misplaced pride of his family of misfits and malingerers, is engaged as a newly-trained train dispatcher at a small railway station near the end of the Second World War and the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. The sometimes pompous stationmaster is an enthusiastic pigeon-breeder who has a kind wife, but is envious of train dispatcher Hubička’s success with women. The idyll of the railway station is periodically disturbed by the arrival of councilor Zedníček, a Nazi collaborator who spouts propaganda at the staff, though he does not influence anyone with it.
-At her initiative, Máša spends the night with Miloš, but in his youthful excitability he ejaculates prematurely and is unable to perform sexually. The next day, despairing, he attempts suicide, but is saved. A young doctor at the hospital explains to Miloš that ejaculatio praecox is normal at his age, recommending that Miloš “think of something else”, such as football, and seek out an experienced woman to help him through his first sexual experience.
-During the nightshift, Hubička flirts with the young telegraphist, Zdenička, and imprints her thighs and buttocks with the office’s rubber stamps. Her mother sees the stamps and complains to Hubička’s superiors.
-A glamorous resistance agent, code-named Viktoria Freie, delivers a time bomb to Hubička for use in blowing up a large ammunition train. At Hubička’s request, the “experienced” Viktoria also helps Miloš to resolve his sexual problem.
-The next day, at the crucial moment when the ammunition train is approaching the station, Hubička is caught up in a farcical disciplinary hearing, overseen by Zedníček, over his rubber-stamping of Zdenička’s backside. In Hubička’s place, Miloš, liberated from his former passivity by his experience with Viktoria, takes the time bomb and drops it onto the train from a semaphore gantry, which extends transversely above the tracks. A machine-gunner on the train, spotting Miloš, sprays him with bullets, and his body falls onto the train.
-The stationmaster is despondent because the scandal with Hubička and Zdenička seems to have frustrated his ambition of being promoted to inspector. Then a huge series of explosions happens just around a bend in the track as the train is destroyed by the bomb.[4] Hubička, unaware of what has happened to Miloš, laughs to express his joy at this blow to the Nazi occupiers. Máša, who has been waiting to speak with Miloš, picks up his uniform cap, which has wound up at her feet, blown by the huge winds from the blast.
12:08 East of Bucharest
-Roemeense film, 2006, Corneliu Porumboiu
-Vaslui, Romania: Eastern. A few years after the fall of the Communist regime, some inhabitants of a city discuss how to celebrate the anniversary of the event. They then decide to organize a television broadcast on a local broadcaster and make a celebratory talk show, involving people by telephone.
-So Virgil Jderescu, director of the local television station, really wants to organize a live talk show to answer a simple question: has there really been a revolution in this city? But the two expected guests decline the commitment, perhaps because the topic is more thorny than Jderescu thinks. But he manages to overcome those absences and invites two other people. The first is Tiberiu Manescu, a drunkard and penniless professor who has always boasted that he was the first in town to challenge the men of the dictator. The other guest is Emanoil Piscoci, a rigorous and paranoid old man who at that time used to dress up as Santa Claus for children.
-The broadcast begins and Professor Manescu proudly exposes his experience as a revolutionary, but immediately two viewers call live denying his presence in the square that day and accusing him of speaking under the influence of alcohol, without however having evidence that Manescu really lies. The calm confrontation begins to become embarrassing when Manescu, unnerved, begins to blurt out the flaws of some local “notables”, including the same editor / presenter Virgil Jderescu who apparently is not a journalist but a textile engineer on loan to television. The talk-show, initially feel-good and formal, takes a grotesque and scurrile turn, given that even the elderly Piscoci, hitherto silent, pretends to be a “philosopher” of the situation and begins to say nonsense in bursts.
4 maanden, 3 weken en 2 dagen
-Roemeense film, 2007, Cristian Mungiu
-In 1987, two university students in an unnamed Romanian town, Otilia Mihărtescu and Gabriela “Găbița” Drăguț, are roommates in a dormitory. When Găbița becomes pregnant, the two young women arrange a meeting with Mr. Bebe in a hotel, where he is to perform an illegal abortion. Otilia takes a bus to visit her boyfriend Adi, from whom she borrows money. Adi asks Otilia to visit his family that night, as it is his mother’s birthday. Otilia initially declines, relenting after Adi becomes upset.
-Otilia heads to the Unirea hotel where Găbița has booked a room, only to be informed by an unfriendly receptionist that there is no reservation under Găbița’s last name. Otilia visits another hotel, the Tineretului, and after much begging and haggling, is able to book a room at an expensive rate.
-At the Tineretului, Bebe discovers that Găbița’s claim that her pregnancy was in its second or third month was a lie, and that it has been at least four months. This changes the procedure and also adds the risk of a murder charge. While the two women were certain that they would pay no more than 3,000 lei for the abortion, it slowly becomes clear that Bebe expects both women to have sex with him. Desperate and distressed, Otilia has sex with Bebe, as does Găbița. Bebe then performs the abortion by injecting a probe and an unnamed fluid into Găbița’s uterus, and leaves Otilia instructions on how to dispose of the fetus when it comes out. Otilia is exasperated by Găbița’s lies, yet continues to help and care for her.
-Otilia leaves Găbița at the Tineretului to attend Adi’s mother’s birthday party. She is still disturbed but stays and has dinner with Adi’s mother’s friends, who are mostly doctors. They converse about trivial matters while Otilia and Adi remain silent. After Otilia accepts a cigarette in front of Adi’s parents, one of the guests starts talking about lost values and respect for elders. Adi and Otilia retreat to his room, where she tells him about Găbița’s abortion. They begin debating what would happen if it were Otilia who was pregnant, as Adi is opposed to abortion. After the argument, Otilia calls Găbița from Adi’s house. Găbița does not answer, so Otilia decides to return to the hotel.
-When Otilia enters the hotel room Găbița is lying on the bed, and she tells Otilia that the fetus has been expelled and is in the bathroom. Otilia wraps the fetus with some towels and puts it in a bag, while Găbița asks her to bury it. Otilia walks outside, finally climbing to the top of a building, as Mr. Bebe had suggested, and dropping the bag in a trash chute. She returns to the Tineretului and finds Găbița sitting in its restaurant. Otilia sits and tells Găbița that they are never going to talk about the episode again. Otilia stares blankly at Găbița.
Day of Wrath
-Deense film, 1943, Carl Theodor Dreyer
-In a Danish village in 1623, an old woman known as Herlof’s Marte is accused of witchcraft. Anne, a young woman, is married to the aged local pastor, Absalon Pedersson, who is involved with the trials of witches, and they live in a house shared with his strict, domineering mother Meret. Meret does not approve of Anne, who is much younger than her husband, being about the same age as the son from his first marriage. Anne gives Herlof’s Marte refuge, but Marte is soon discovered in the house, though she is presumed to have hidden herself there without assistance. Herlof’s Marte knows that Anne’s mother, already dead at the time of the events depicted, had been accused of witchcraft as well, and had been spared thanks to Absalon’s intervention, who aimed at marrying young Anne. Anne is thus informed by Herlof’s Marte of her mother’s power over people’s life and death and becomes intrigued in the matter.
-Absalon’s son from his first marriage, Martin, returns home from abroad and he and Anne are immediately attracted to each other. She does not love her husband and thinks he does not love her. Under torture, Herlof’s Marte confesses to witchcraft, defined among other evidence as wishing for the death of other people. She threatens to expose Anne if Absalon does not rescue her from a guilty verdict, begging him to save her as he saved Anne’s mother. Marte, after pleading with Absalon a second time, does not betray his secret and is executed by burning with the villagers looking on. Absalon feels his guilt over having saved Anne’s mother, but leaving Marte to burn. Anne and Martin, clandestinely growing closer, are seen as having changed in recent days, fueling Meret’s suspicion of Anne’s character. Anne is heard laughing in Martin’s company by her husband, something which has not occurred in their time together. Absalon regrets that he married Anne without regarding her feelings and true intentions, and tells her so, apologizing for stealing her youth and happiness.
-A violent storm erupts while Absalon is away visiting a dying young parishioner, Laurentius. He had been cursed by Herlof’s Marte during her interrogation and she foretold an imminent death. Meanwhile, Anne and Martin are discussing the future, and she is forced to admit wishing her husband dead, but only as an “if” rather than it actually happening. At that moment Absalon, on his way home, feels “like the touching of Death itself.” On Absalon’s return, Anne confesses her love for Martin to her husband and tells him she wishes him dead. He collapses and dies, calling Martin’s name. Anne screams. The following morning Martin is overcome by his own doubts. Anne declares that she had nothing to do with his father’s death, which she sees as providential help from above to release her from her present misery and unhappy marriage. At Absalon’s funeral, Anne is denounced by Meret, her mother-in-law, as a witch. Anne initially denies the charge, but when Martin sides with his grandmother she is faced with the loss of his love and trust, and she confesses on her husband’s open coffin that she murdered him and enchanted his son with the Devil’s help. Her fate appears sealed.
Ordet
-Deense film, 1955, Carl Theodor Dreyer
-The film centers around the Borgen family in rural Denmark during the autumn of 1925. The devout widower Morten, patriarch of the family, prominent member of the community, and patron of the local parish church, has three sons. Mikkel, the eldest, who has no faith, is happily married to the pious Inger, who is pregnant with their third child. Johannes, who was inspired by the Holy Spirit studying Søren Kierkegaard, believes himself to be Jesus Christ and wanders the farm. He condemns the age’s lack of faith, including that of his family and of the modern-minded new pastor of the village. The youngest son, Anders, is lovesick for the daughter of the leader of a local Inner Mission sect.
-Anders confesses to Mikkel and Inger that he loves Anne Petersen, the daughter of Peter the Tailor. They agree to convince Morten to assent to the match. Later, Inger attempts to convince Morten to allow Anders to marry Anne. Morten angrily refuses, but changes his mind when he finds out Peter has refused Anders’ proposal. Morten and Anders go to meet Peter, in order to negotiate the betrothal.
-Morten tries to convince Peter to permit the marriage, but he continues to refuse unless Morten and Anders join the orthodox church. As the discussion collapses into sectarian bickering, Morten receives a call announcing that Inger has gone into a difficult labor. Peter says he hopes Inger will die, as maybe then Morten will see the error of his ways and join Peter’s church. Furious at Peter’s comments, Morten attacks Peter and storms out with Anders, the two of them rushing home. While the doctor cannot save the baby, he is able to save Inger’s life. After the doctor and pastor leave, Johannes angers his father by telling him that death is nearby and will take Inger, unless Morten has faith in him. Morten refuses to listen and, as prophesied, Inger dies suddenly.
-While preparing to go to Inger’s funeral, Peter realizes that he has wronged Morten terribly, and reconciles with him over Inger’s open coffin, agreeing to permit Anne and Anders to marry. Johannes suddenly interrupts the wake, approaches Inger’s coffin, and proclaims that she can be raised from the dead if the family will only have faith and ask God to do so. Inger’s daughter takes Johannes (again, inspired by the Holy Spirit)’ hand and impatiently asks him to raise her mother from the dead. Johannes praises her childlike faith and asks God to raise Inger, who begins to breathe and twitch in her coffin. Seeing what seems to be the miracle of resurrection, both Morten and Peter rejoice, forgetting their religious differences. As Inger sits up, Mikkel embraces her and proclaims that he has finally found faith.
Wilde aardbeien
-Zweedse film, 1957, Ingmar Bergman
-Grouchy, stubborn, and egotistical Professor Isak Borg is a widowed 78-year-old physician who specialized in bacteriology. Before specializing, he served as a general practitioner in rural Sweden. He sets out on a long car ride from Stockholm to Lund to be awarded the degree of Doctor Jubilaris 50 years after he received his doctorate from Lund University. He is accompanied by his pregnant daughter-in-law Marianne who does not much like her father-in-law and is planning to separate from her husband, Evald, Isak’s only son. Evald does not want her to have the baby, their first.
-During the trip, Isak is forced by nightmares, daydreams, old age, and impending death to reevaluate his life. He meets a series of hitchhikers, each of whom sets off dreams or reveries into Borg’s troubled past. The first group consists of two young men and their companion, a woman named Sara who is adored by both men. Sara is a double for the love of Isak’s youth. He reminisces about his childhood at the seaside and his sweetheart Sara, with whom he remembered gathering strawberries, but who instead married his brother. The first group remains with him throughout his journey. Next Isak and Marianne pick up an embittered middle-aged couple, the Almans, whose vehicle had nearly collided with theirs. The pair exchanges such terrible vitriol and venom that Marianne stops the car and demands that they leave. The couple reminds Isak of his own unhappy marriage. In a dream sequence, Isak is asked by Sten Alman, now the examiner, to read “foreign” letters on the blackboard. He cannot. So, Alman reads it for him: “A doctor’s first duty is to ask forgiveness,” from which he concludes, “You are guilty of guilt.”
-He is confronted by his loneliness and aloofness, recognizing these traits in both his elderly mother (whom they stop to visit) and in his middle-aged physician son, and he gradually begins to accept himself, his past, his present, and his approaching death.
-Borg finally arrives at his destination and is promoted to Doctor Jubilaris, but this proves to be an empty ritual. That night, he bids a loving goodbye to his young friends, to whom the once bitter old man whispers in response to a playful declaration of the young girl’s love, “I’ll remember.” As he goes to his bed in his son’s home, he is overcome by a sense of peace, and dreams of a family picnic by a lake. Closure and affirmation of life have finally come, and Borg’s face radiates joy.
Herfstsonate
-Zweedse film, 1978, Ingmar Bergman
-Eva (Liv Ullmann), wife of the village pastor, invites her mother Charlotte (Ingrid Bergman) for a visit to her village. She has not seen her for over seven years. Her mother is a world-renowned pianist, somewhat eccentric, aging, and has survived several husbands. Eva is not as talented as the mother (despite the fact that she has written two books and plays the piano passably). Eva’s main concern is to be the mistress of her home, wife, mother, and loving sister. It is gradually learned through her dialogue with her mother that her life has had a large number of unfortunate setbacks: a husband Viktor (Halvar Björk) she respects, but does not really have affection for, their son Erik who drowned when only four years old, and Charlotte never appears to have loved Eva as a mother normally loves a daughter. As part of her day-to-day life, Eva takes care of her disabled and paralyzed sister Helena (Lena Nyman), whom she has taken out of the hospital into her own home. She appears to be the only person who can understand her sister’s limited speech ability.
-The presence of Helena in Eva’s house is shocking to the aging mother. She makes a gift of her own wrist watch to Helena, and listens to Eva playing Prelude No. 2 in A minor by Chopin. She immediately re-performs the same prelude after Eva finishes in her own preferred interpretation of the music. Before going to bed, Charlotte decides to make a gift of her own car to her daughter. She plans to take a flight home, and buy a new car for herself, as a measure of her altruism. At night, Charlotte wakes up from a nightmare: it seems that Eva is choking her. She gets up, goes into the living room followed by Eva, who had heard her mother screaming from the nightmare.
-Mother and daughter begin an impassioned rediscovery and clarification of their past relationship. Eva’s husband overhears this unexpectedly heightened exchange, but wisely decides not to participate and interfere. Hearing this impassioned exchange, her disabled younger sister painfully forces herself out of her bed and starts crawling up to the stairs to where Eva and Charlotte are arguing. Upon reaching the landing she starts shouting, “Mama, come!”
-n the morning Charlotte prepares for her departure. Eva goes to the grave of her departed son, and her husband ineffectively tries to soothe her ailing sister. Charlotte asks for a friend to escort her away by train. While speaking to her agent Paul on the train, she begins to question the unfortunate fate of her disabled and paralyzed daughter, asking the unanswerable question: “Why couldn’t she die?” Her older daughter sends her mother a letter starting with: “I realize that I wronged you.” The mother apparently reads the letter that concludes by leaving open the possibility of a future reconciliation, though the closing shot is of Viktor putting the letter in the envelope, leaving the possibility that he, or Eva, merely envisioned Charlotte reading the letter.
