Short Notes, Oh I Say... —
"A woman's chastity is a sty in the devil's eye."
—Irish proverb
Gunnar Björnstrand, ambassador of hell and narrative, plays the role of the proceedings' emcee in Bergman's Djävulens öge [The Devil's Eye, 1960]. Hell is 'real' and 'material' — despite the artifice of the presenter's realm (see the rear-projected backdrops of exaggerated draughtsman beauty), and that of the Devil himself (Stig Järrel) (what with the magnified flames crackling through the window at his back). This damned Devil's got a sty in his eye — something is amiss on Earth — a virgin persists towards her marriage. The Devil sends Don Juan (Jarl Kulle) from the netherworld, for DJ is among his favorite 'courtiers' — but first he must confront a group of punitive characters that come straight out of Buñuel. An objective: "Go to Earth and rob this fiancée of her virginity." (The age-old question: 'Why do Satan and God require avatars to do their bidding?') (Hell's materiality: Don Juan and Pablo [Sture Lagerwall], in love/lust with Natan [Gertrud Fridh], emerge from a well that leads to labyrinths and "secret elevators.")
The vicar (Nils Poppe): "My life is just a series of fortunate accidents."
"It's good to be a strong person, because you get to be as weak as you want."
"You're the 37th."
Give me a new attitude that's "crisp and clear, but loving."
Bergman goes against the grain: Bibi Andersson loves him. There is no absolute grammar. Andersson and Kulle against the wall. The chaos Hell wreaks on the normal world during its intrusion. •
Other writing on Ingmar Bergman at Cinemasparagus:
Kris [Crisis, 1946]
Skepp till India Land [Ship to India, 1947]
Hamnstad [Port of Call, 1948]
Törst [Thirst, 1949]
Till glädje [To Joy, 1950]
Sommarlek [Summer Interlude, 1951]
Kvinnors väntan [Women's Waiting, 1952]
Sommaren med Monika [Summer with Monika, 1953]
Gycklarnas afton [Carnies' Twilight, aka Sawdust and Tinsel, 1954]
En lektion i kärlek [A Lesson in Love, 1954]
Kvinnodröm [Women's Dream, aka Dreams, 1955]
Sommernattens leende [Smile of the Summer Night, 1955]
Det sjunde inseglet [The Seventh Seal, 1957]
Smultronstället [The Wild Strawberry Patch, aka Wild Strawberries, 1957]
Nära livet [On the Brink of Life, aka Brink of Life, 1958]
Ansiktet [The Face, aka The Magician, 1958]
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