"Wild Strawberries", Ingmar Bergman's classic film in which an elderly physician examines his life while traveling to receive an honorary award for his years of service is probably not a household name, but it should be seen. Professor Isak Borg (Sjostrom) has been living alone for years with only his housekeeper to keep him company, as he has alienated his grown son and his daughter in law. His cold demeanor and brusque mannerisms don't help to win him many friends, so on the advent of the award ceremony, while his daughter in law drives him there he reflects on his past and things that happened/decisions he made that led him to become the man he has, and led to the life he is living. Whether they are nightmarish dreams about death, or bona fide memories he experiences while they visit his childhood home along the way, each occurrence makes him more introspective (and a bit frightened) about his life and the lives of those around him.
"Clarity" is not the first word that comes to mind when I think of Bergman, but the words "introspective" and "provocative" do. "Wild Strawberries" was like a less sentimental "Goodbye Mr. Chips", and even has some similarities to "Deconstructing Harry". After experiencing Bergman films like "The Seventh Seal", I was expecting there to be a lot of room for interpretation, and what I got was a beautiful, interesting and thought-provoking study of a man who didn't realize all that he had lost until he finally allowed himself (or forced himself, depending on which way you want to look at it) to come to terms with certain turning points in his life, some of which he had complete control over, and some which were decided for him.
Bergman's black and white cinematography is gorgeous and artful, and Sjostrom's performance is heartfelt and natural. The supporting cast is good as well. If you're trying to get someone to get into Bergman films, this may be a good warm-up before exposing them to "The Seventh Seal" or even "Persona". With "Wild Strawberries", Bergman proves once again that he is one of the most thought-provoking and creative directors of the 20th century. I would definitely recommend this film. 7/10 --Shelly
"Clarity" is not the first word that comes to mind when I think of Bergman, but the words "introspective" and "provocative" do. "Wild Strawberries" was like a less sentimental "Goodbye Mr. Chips", and even has some similarities to "Deconstructing Harry". After experiencing Bergman films like "The Seventh Seal", I was expecting there to be a lot of room for interpretation, and what I got was a beautiful, interesting and thought-provoking study of a man who didn't realize all that he had lost until he finally allowed himself (or forced himself, depending on which way you want to look at it) to come to terms with certain turning points in his life, some of which he had complete control over, and some which were decided for him.
Bergman's black and white cinematography is gorgeous and artful, and Sjostrom's performance is heartfelt and natural. The supporting cast is good as well. If you're trying to get someone to get into Bergman films, this may be a good warm-up before exposing them to "The Seventh Seal" or even "Persona". With "Wild Strawberries", Bergman proves once again that he is one of the most thought-provoking and creative directors of the 20th century. I would definitely recommend this film. 7/10 --Shelly