(1955)
directed by Ingmar Bergman
Again and again in his films, Bergman returns to the subject of commitment, betrayal, and guilt. All of the couples in “Smiles of a Summer Night” are in unhappy relationships. Over the course of a long Swedish summer night, however, something magical happens and love steps in to resolve the couples’ problems. The critic Pauline Kael called “Smiles of a Summer Night” a nearly perfect film. This beguiling film has a special place in my heart because it was the first Bergman film I saw and introduced me to Bergman’s extraordinary films.
Most unusual for Bergman, “Smiles of a Summer Night” is a comedy. The film is fast moving and witty. One of its lines, “I can tolerate my wife’s infidelity, but if anyone touches my mistress, I become a tiger.” is repeated later in the film in a different form, “I can tolerate my mistress’s infidelity, but if anyone touches my wife, I become a tiger.” The verbal wit in Bergman’s script reminds one of Oscar Wilde.
Fredrik Egerman is a middle-aged lawyer married to beautiful, nineteen-year-old Anne. Fredrik is frustrated and unhappy because Anne is reluctant to consummate their marriage. Henrik is Frederick’s son from Frederick’s first marriage. Henrik is in his twenties and is studying to be a minister. He lives in the same household with Fredrik and Anne. Henrik is tormented by his love for Anne who secretly loves him in return. Henrik consoles himself by having an affair with Petra, a lively house maid.
Between his two marriages, Fredrik had an affair with a successful stage actress, the beautiful Desiree Armfeldt. Desiree now has a young son named Fredrik, born shortly after her affair with Fredrik. Anne is alerted to Fredrik’s possible continued interest in Desiree when he murmurs the name “Desiree” several times while he is dreaming during one of their afternoon naps. The nap scene is one of my favorites.
Desiree is having an affair with an army officer, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm. The Count’s wife, Charlotte, is a friend of Anne Egerman. One evening, Fredrik goes to see Desiree to pour out his marital troubles and to ask her for advice. Unfortunately, Fredrik falls into a puddle outside Desiree’s house and Desiree dresses him in the Count’s nightshirt. The extremely jealous Count shows up and orders Fredrik to leave. After Fredrik leaves, the Count and Desiree have a heated argument and decide to end their relationship.
When the Count returns home, he tells Charlotte about his encounter with Fredrik and orders her to tell Anne Egerman about Fredrik’s infidelity (although no infidelity actually occurred). When Charlotte visits Anne, she confesses that she loves the Count despite all their problems and would do anything to be loved in return.
Midsummer Night is the shortest night of the year. In Sweden, Midsummer Night is celebrated by party goers who stay awake all night and greet the dawn. Desiree asks her elderly mother to invite all the couples to her country home for a Midsummer Night celebration. Everyone attending is affected by the wine they share at dinner. When Desiree’s mother serves the wine, she addresses the gathering as follows:
“My dear children and friends. According to legend, the wine is pressed from grapes whose juice gushes out like drops of blood against the pale grape skin. It is also said that to each cask filled with this wine was added a drop of milk from a young mother’s breast and a drop of seed from a young stallion. These lend to the wine secret seductive powers. Whoever drinks hereof does so at his own risk and must answer for himself.”
During the party, Henrik and Anne find themselves alone together in a bedroom and discover their mutual love for one another. They elope with the assistance of Petra and her new lover Frid. Charlotte joins Fredrik in the garden. Learning his wife is with Fredrik, the Count bursts in and challenges Fredrik to a game of Russian roulette. Fredrik loses but the Count had loaded the revolver with soot so neither party was ever in real danger. The Count’s jealousy renews his feelings for Charlotte, however, and he reunites with his wife.
Desiree comforts Fredrik and Fredrik expresses his love for Desiree. Four pairs of lovers are brought together in the course of one magical night. “Smiles of a Summer Night” was an artistic and professional turning point for Bergman. The film was a tremendous critical and popular success. After “Smiles of a Summer Night,” Bergman said he never again had to worry about financing his films.