Featured Audience Ratings

• Daniel P

  
  A gripping portrait of mental illness and family ties from a master director, and a film with a narrow focus and a cast of four (father, son, daughter, daughter's husband). Slow in the beginning but suddenly enrapturing, the stakes keep rising as we see the characters… More
  A gripping portrait of mental illness and family ties from a master director, and a film with a narrow focus and a cast of four (father, son, daughter, daughter's husband). Slow in the beginning but suddenly enrapturing, the stakes keep rising as we see the characters "mirror" each other's behaviour, frustrating each others' attempts at normal, intimate family relationships at every turn until we reach the harrowing conclusion. When I review, I prefer to get into specifics, but to me this is the kind of film that's probably better to go into blind, as it's full of surprises and subtle plot points that, while they won't look interesting in a summary - or an academic treatise, which one could easily write about this film - are captivating once you're into them. Watching it was an outstanding experience... I won't spoil it for you.

• Anthony L

  
  I wonder if Ingmar Bergman purposefully kept the first third of Through A Glass Darkly dull and lifeless only to enhance the visuals and then performances of the second and third acts respectively. If he did then it certainly worked, I was pulled back in with a jolt just as I was… More
  I wonder if Ingmar Bergman purposefully kept the first third of Through A Glass Darkly dull and lifeless only to enhance the visuals and then performances of the second and third acts respectively. If he did then it certainly worked, I was pulled back in with a jolt just as I was beginning to loose interest. The performances are brilliant, particularly from Harriet Andersson, the writing is exquisite and after reading up on the chamber dramas as they've come to be known, I can't wait to see more. I would suggest this is only a suggestion of the greatness to come though, I liked it a lot but I don't love it. I seem to be in the minority in thinking that the b/w cinematography was below par considering how masterfully The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries were shot but I digress, this is cinematic brilliance.

• Reid V

  
  In a time so inundated with cinematic gimmickry, a filmmaker such as Ingmar Bergman would never succeed. Rather than fancy camera work, he relies on powerful framing and the story itself to move viewers. The first film in his faith trilogy is starkly austere. Bergman's characters… More
  In a time so inundated with cinematic gimmickry, a filmmaker such as Ingmar Bergman would never succeed. Rather than fancy camera work, he relies on powerful framing and the story itself to move viewers. The first film in his faith trilogy is starkly austere. Bergman's characters emerge from the water and enter a world of isolation. Not only isolated on an island that is surrounded by the silence and the serene, but emotionally isolated as well. Gunnar Bjornstrand plays the career obsessed patriarch whose forced and shallow attempts at reaching out to his family are obvious to all . Max Von Sydow is the husband who goes through all the right motions, but seems rather emotionless toward the wife he claims to love. Finally there is Karin, played wonderfully by Harriet Anderson. Karin is deemed mentally I'll, but her real suffering comes from the lack of God's presence. This yearning, this malady, she is conscious of, which makes God's silence all the more unbearable. What makes things worse is that those closest to her are unable and/or unwilling to understand her. There aren't any major twists and turns, just an sincere look at the existence of a loving God. In doing so, Bergman conjures not only powerful imagery, but also almighty observations about human existence. We are so adroit at refining our lives and suppressing what we really feel, that we believe our lies to be truth. These aren't easy observations to swallow, but it is refreshing to know that a gifted storyteller like Bergman has tried. It may be a bleak glimpse of humanity but I'll be damned if I ever find a film more honest than this.

• Robert C

  
  The first in Bergman's "Silent God" trilogy a subject matter that I find very intriguing. Though I found this film to be just as much about the intricacies of personal relationships as it was the intricacies of religion. I can't think of a better analogy on… More
  The first in Bergman's "Silent God" trilogy a subject matter that I find very intriguing. Though I found this film to be just as much about the intricacies of personal relationships as it was the intricacies of religion. I can't think of a better analogy on family / religion then this quote from the film: "We draw a magic circle and shut out everything that doesn't agree with our secret games. Each time life breaks the circle, the games turn gray and ridiculous. Then we draw a new circle and build a new defense." I love this line and believe that if more people in the world were open to new ideas and "drew new circles" rather then wallowing in doubt and fear inside their (often horribly antiquated) circles - acting "gray and ridiculous"...the world would be a better place. I know this might sound strange to some people (seeing how this is a black & white film) but it is just beautiful to watch. Bergman's eye is impeccable. I found it interesting that while time is implied throughout the film (morning, night, etc.)...visually they appear to be stuck in a dawn/dusk sort of place. Never fully light and never completely dark. Perhaps a subtle reference to their relationships with both God and eachother? The acting is stellar. Harriet Anderson in particular does an amazing job at drifting seemlessly between: ingenue, sex kitten, repressed wife and mad woman. A performance that is ultimately heartbreaking. It is definately a thinking persons film, so if you are somoene who likes to have everything spelled out nicely for you along the way and tied in a pretty bow at the end - skip it. If however you enjoy a film that stays with you for days - thinking about and discussing all of it's intricacies...then pop it in the DVD and ENJOY!

• Cassandra M

  
  Bergman was without question a master when it came to the cinema of alienation; presenting characters with a singular point of view that is at odds with the world around them, leaving them inevitably cut off and isolated with their own distorted thoughts and fears. In many of his… More
  Bergman was without question a master when it came to the cinema of alienation; presenting characters with a singular point of view that is at odds with the world around them, leaving them inevitably cut off and isolated with their own distorted thoughts and fears. In many of his films, such as Hour of the Wolf (1966), Shame (1968) and A Passion (1969), to cite three of the most obvious, the inability to see eye to eye with other human beings - even on an entirely intimate level - leads the characters to seek solace and escape; creating their own limited psychological space and projecting it outwardly, like the artists in Shame or Andreas in A Passion. Alongside these ideas, there are conflicting issues presented by Bergman in other films, most notably Persona (1966), in which the outward projection of an idealised world that protects you from the judgements and criticisms of the wider world is internalised; giving way to a breakdown in reality and the projection of visions that have no clear bearing on reality. Through a Glass Darkly (1961) represents an early attempt by Bergman to experiment with this latter, internalised approach to figurative storytelling; the idea that the story, although interesting in itself, is being used a springboard to a metaphorical encounter that should not be taken at face value. For me, it is perhaps less interesting than later films, such as Winter Light (1962) and The Silence (1963), which look at superficially similar ideas but on a much broader canvas. The reason this film doesn't work quite as well for me is simply down to the fact that Bergman was at this stage still very much attached to the broader aspects of character and melodrama. This is why the film is far too often misinterpreted as being entirely about religious issues and ideas of catholic guilt, which is largely considered to be a continual factor in Bergman's work, pre-Persona. To focus entirely on the religious themes and iconography, for me, detracts from the more interesting psychological interpretation that the film represents, and the always fascinating idea that Kårin is somehow fashioning this facade in an attempt to cope with the horrors of a real world, still desperately trying to claw her back. For me, the more interesting aspect of Bergman's work was his handling of purely psychological themes, whether abstracted by elements of surrealism and metaphor, like The Seventh Seal (1957) with its grand manifestation of death, or Persona and Hour of the Wolf, with the horror of creativity and the secrets of the past creating an inescapable hell. Other films walk a similar path, but do so in a much more subtle way, dealing with recognisable narrative concerns like in Virgin Spring (1960) or Scenes from a Marriage (1973). Through a Glass Darkly inadvertently falls somewhere in between the two; presenting a story that on the surface seems thematically simplistic, centred and theatrical, but ultimately offering deeper and more personal interpretations when we look beneath the surface. For many, it is clear that Kårin is a woman with serve mental problems; cut off from friends and family who want what is best for her, and convinced that God will one day appear to her through a walled up doorway in the attic and offer her the ultimate in salvation. If you're religious enough you might take the notion at face value, however, it is clear that Bergman is highlighting something else here, whether it's broader notions of insanity, a plea for suicide or darker interpretations regarding Kårin and her family. The actual interpretation will ultimately, like any great work of cinema, be subjective of the individual viewer; however, there are clearly a lot of themes and issues presented by Bergman here that are ripe for further analysis. Through a Glass Darkly is ultimately an interesting work, one that sees Bergman moving away from the territory of films like Summer with Monika (1955), Wild Strawberries (1957) and Virgin Spring, and more towards the psychological and meta-textual work that he would create throughout the 1960's. For me, it is tied far too rigidly to the conventions of character and melodrama - in particular, the even more rigid aspects of Scandinavian melodrama - to really work on the deeper level of films like The Silence, Persona, Shame and A Passion, though nonetheless, it remains an interesting work from a true master of cinema.

• Ken S

  
  BLah Blah Blah Beautiful Photography Blah Blah Blah God is Silent Blah Blah Blah I just can't get excited about solemn Swedish social situations

• danny d

  
  this was a decent film. better than another bergman film that is often compared with this one called winter light, this story was a little more compelling. the acting was great and bergman got some wonderful shots. this movie was very slow however, and you really sort of miss the… More
  this was a decent film. better than another bergman film that is often compared with this one called winter light, this story was a little more compelling. the acting was great and bergman got some wonderful shots. this movie was very slow however, and you really sort of miss the point until the last 30 minutes or so. a very simple film taking place on a single set, this film was made to convey a very simple point about hope and faith. i really didnt enjoy this film until the final scene, but that final scene is one of the best scenes i have ever seen in a movie. its a profound scene that explains and justifies the movie and gives this film a reason for exsisting.

• Dillon L

  
  Some interesting themes in the first entry of Bergman's so called 'Trilogy of Faith.' Gunnar Bjorstrand is always good.

• Eric B

  
  Beautifully photographed, beautifully acted. The tensions between the characters are so engrossing and powerful that you'll scarcely even realize there are just four actors in the film.

• Byron B

  
  Again the use of light and shadow and how the human face or scenery is viewed is wonderful. The story, the message, however just confused me. I didn't gather much meaning from watching this family of four. Karin (Andersson) and Minus (Passgard) are sister and brother. Their… More
  Again the use of light and shadow and how the human face or scenery is viewed is wonderful. The story, the message, however just confused me. I didn't gather much meaning from watching this family of four. Karin (Andersson) and Minus (Passgard) are sister and brother. Their mother died years ago and their father is always off traveling. Their father, David (Bjornstrand), is now back to visit. He is a writer and is almost done with his latest book. Karin is married to Martin (von Sydow) who takes care of her. Karin is losing her sanity and suffering from delusions. Supposedly her mother suffered from the same affliction, but for Karin it started around the time her mother died and her father started spending large amounts of time away from home. There are slight suggestions that some sexual trauma could be involved. Could incest be in this family's past? Maybe so, maybe not. Maybe I'm looking for similar themes (the rape in The Virgin Spring) that Bergman didn't intend. Andersson plays the role of Karin well, bouncing back and fourth between sanity and insanity, in her delusional moments writhing about in pleasure or fear. Her delusions involve God coming to visit her and a room full of good people. Her husband hopes all along that her problems can be managed and that she can live a normal life. Her father is more resigned to the fact that it will get worse before it gets better, if it gets better. I learned in a DVD special feature that the "artist" is a classic element of a Bergman film. Karin's father is the artist here. Martin takes moral issue with David using his daughter's problems as material for the book he is currently finishing. I really don't get why this is such a big issue and the driving force self-destructing the family in this film. I understand "using" someone for financial gain could be troublesome, but that is what artists do. Artists draw from their life experiences and people they know in creating art. In specific terms this issue could be worse, in abstract terms this isn't really an issue as presented here. Anyways, the father and son don't talk much, but at the end they have an abrupt conversation about God being all forms of love. This didn't leave me feeling complete or hopeful though, since the whole time God was part of Karin's delusions. I liked a couple of the lines of dialog though. If there was any meaning I got out of this it was here in these lines. David: "We draw a magic circle and shut out everything that doesn't agree with our secret games. Each time life breaks the circle, the games turn gray and ridiculous. Then we draw a new circle and build a new defense." Karin: "Poor little daddy." David: "Yes, poor little daddy, forced to live in reality." I think the movie is more about delusion versus reality! And I think the movie is made in such a way as to make the general audience feel confused. Karin: "It's so horrible to see your own confusion and understand it." Ultimately, our confusion might help us connect or empathize with Karin.

• Chris B

  
  Another of Bergman's masterpieces, Through A Glass Darkly tells the story of a young wife who is spending summer with her family on an island to help her recovery from a mental disease. Her brother, father, and husband all love her and want the best but each also has their own… More
  Another of Bergman's masterpieces, Through A Glass Darkly tells the story of a young wife who is spending summer with her family on an island to help her recovery from a mental disease. Her brother, father, and husband all love her and want the best but each also has their own struggles to overcome as well. In the end she gets worse and worse eventually leading her to believe God speaks to her through the walls of an old room and actually manifests as a spider trying to penetrate her. She eventually comes to the realization that she should go into town and stay at the hospital indefinitely. A bleak and depressing film that also conveys stunning depth and beauty! Highly Recommended for those that can appreciate deep and intellectual films with human emotions and the human soul at the core.

• Mike T

  
  This film didn't totally captivate me until the beginning of its second act, at which point I was hypnotized. It evolves into a visceral, devastating experience, and by the conclusion I was in awe. Ingmar Bergman paints beautiful black-and-white images in this film, providing an… More
  This film didn't totally captivate me until the beginning of its second act, at which point I was hypnotized. It evolves into a visceral, devastating experience, and by the conclusion I was in awe. Ingmar Bergman paints beautiful black-and-white images in this film, providing an interesting visual basis that doesn't detract from the focus on characters. Great performances from the whole cast, and brilliant use of music.

• Ivan D

  
  Ingmar Bergman, bar none one of the best filmmakers who have ever lived, has just proved here in "Through a Glass Darkly" that one does not need a complex set-up to convey something powerfully meditative. Merely utilizing the sterile landscapes of the island of Faro in… More
  Ingmar Bergman, bar none one of the best filmmakers who have ever lived, has just proved here in "Through a Glass Darkly" that one does not need a complex set-up to convey something powerfully meditative. Merely utilizing the sterile landscapes of the island of Faro in Sweden, he, with the aid of the more than able hands of legendary cinematographer and frequent collaborator Sven Nykvist, has made a film that deeply questions religion yet also explores the painful beauty (yes, you read that right) of insanity. If John Cassavetes' 1974 film "A Woman Under the Influence" has presented insanity as something akin to a suburban necessity by showing how it can keep a family together in the most trying of times, "Through a Glass Darkly" depicts it as something that seems to border on the artistic. Bergman, by equal amounts probing and observant in his approach, portrays insanity not as a terrible mental disease but as a symphonic descent into the unknown. This, I think, is the only film that I have seen concerning mental illness in which I do not really pity the character's psychological condition but instead, in a strangely perverse way, envies it. What is she seeing that we don't? The film, a true landmark in simple yet reflective storytelling, is about a small family living on a quiet island and how their lives and own states of mind are being drastically affected by the only woman in the family's troubling mental health. Her name is Karin (Harriet Andersson), daughter to Martin (Gunnar Björnstrand), sister to Minus (Lars Passgård) and wife to Martin (Max Von Sydow). At times a seemingly naïve lass but more often a behaviorally mercurial woman who, as if summoned by a mysterious voice, waits so eagerly for the arrival of what he thinks is 'God' himself, her unpredictability causes general alarm to the family members. What is it that she is waiting for that they are all oblivious about? Through this simple dichotomy of insanity and the otherwise, Bergman is able to construct, in true auteur fashion, a philosophical statement about both the futility of religion and the intrinsic role of love in human existence. "Through a Glass Darkly", though not necessarily a film that's conspicuous in its optimism, still offers a subtly positive outlook. Despite of the film's increasingly despairing situation as Karin careens into psychological oblivion and as she finally finds out the true, beastly nature of the 'God' whose arrival she so patiently awaits, "Through a Glass Darkly" was still able to find light by utilizing some logical fallacies that solidifies Bergman's faith in human faith itself. There's this scene in the end where Minus and his father David, while contemplating Karin's fate, unexpectedly swerves into a melancholic conversation about the true connection between 'God' and 'love'. David, the classic image of a jaded yet hopeful human being, blurts out his belief that God and love is the same thing, and being equipped with that comforting idea makes him feel less empty inside. But with that, Minus, on the other hand the classic image of a naïvely confused young man, asks his father back that if God is love, then Karin, his mentally unstable sister, is surrounded by God because they all love her so much. With that thought, Minus then asks his father: "Can that help her?" (pertaining to Karin's condition) Bergman, at that moment the classic representation of an artist questioning the extent of God's power, initially may have intended to leave some of the film's doors relatively open. It could have ended right at that very moment but Bergman, immediately shifting gears from skepticism to enlightened assurance, made the father answer his son with the line "I believe so". With that dialogue, Bergman seems to put his own way of religious thinking in perspective. Not that sure, not that certain, but definitely adhering to some kind of light and hope, that line highlights what "Through a Glass Darkly", at least for me, is all about. Despite of Karin's description of the 'God' that she has seen as something akin to a monstrous spider, David, with his final answer to Minus' inquiry about the whole 'God is love' thing, is a testament of faith, however futile, amid weighing questions. "Through a Glass Darkly", religious-wise, is a film that raises doubts yet also enlightens. Only a few filmmakers can do that. Well, maybe only Ingmar Bergman can.

• Erin C

  
  I didn't care for this. It was very odd and disturbing at one particular point. I was looking forward to seeing it because I enjoy movies about mental illnesses and disorders, but I really wasn't a fan of this.

• Simeon D

  
  Hmmm. Very odd. 71/100 More at: http://thegreatestreview.blogspot.com/2010/12/through-glass-darkly-sasom-i-en-spegel.html

• Dimitris S

  
  Magnifico Bergman,a splendid anatomy of the human remorse and parental arrogance.God isn't a disbeliever rather the entity on our heroine's interior expedition.The Oscars awarded it foreign language film.So what?The best should have been the ultimate prize,but you… More
  Magnifico Bergman,a splendid anatomy of the human remorse and parental arrogance.God isn't a disbeliever rather the entity on our heroine's interior expedition.The Oscars awarded it foreign language film.So what?The best should have been the ultimate prize,but you see,it's a joke,language restrictions I suppose...

• Emily B

  
  A phenomenal performance by Harriet Andersson as a young woman having to deal with mental illness. The three other actors, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Max von Sydow, and Lars Passgård were also more than adequate as her family. The photography is amazing, and once again by Sven Nykwist. The… More
  A phenomenal performance by Harriet Andersson as a young woman having to deal with mental illness. The three other actors, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Max von Sydow, and Lars Passgård were also more than adequate as her family. The photography is amazing, and once again by Sven Nykwist. The images are some of the most beautiful I've seen in any film, let alone a Bergman. Overall one of Bergman's best, I hope that the rest of The Faith Trilogy is just as good.

• MJS M

  
  A masterpiece, but from someone like Bergman that isn't saying much.

• Tom S

  
  One of my favorite Bergman films.

Read all 19 featured audience ratings