Karin (Birgitta Pettersson) is the spoiled child, doted on by her mother -- spared the rod and well-pampered. Her father tries to be stern, but can't help but laugh when she offers to lie to the priest (despite the family being very religious). She remains innocent like a child half her age.
The servant girl, Ingeri (who is noticeably darker than the fair Karin), has become pregnant with a bastard child and taunts Karin, insisting she, too, will give in to men when one makes a move. This story is taken from the traditional tale "Töres dotter i Wänge" with surprising accuracy.
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times says this is "a straight equating of violence and revenge, of brutality and compassion", and that "Bergman has stocked it with scenes of brutality that, for sheer unrestrained realism, may leave one sickened and stunned." Crowther, who finds the plot overly simplistic, says "the conflict is simply and clearly what it probably was in that age—between the pagan urge to have vengeance and the Christian will to forgive."
On that last point, I think there is more to be said. For one thing, it is odd to have a Christian morality tale from an atheist director. If the conflict is simply pagan versus Christian, how does Christian morality win in an atheist's tale? Methinks there is something more afoot.
Ivan Butler believes that the "horror is in the revenge more than in the original wrong." I disagree. The murder of rapists cannot be seen as more vile than the rape and murder of a young girl. He also suggests that "the father's fury may be partly motivated by an incestuous affection for his daughter", though this claim has very little support, in my opinion.
Most reviews will focus on the film's brutality. While the violence is strong at times, it seems to dance on the line without crossing over into glamorization. And for any modern film-goer, there shouldn't be anything here that hasn't been seen before, for better or worse.
This story went on to be remade by Wes Craven as horror revenge film "Last House on the Left"... and then remade again. It has become something of a perennial revenge tale.
The servant girl, Ingeri (who is noticeably darker than the fair Karin), has become pregnant with a bastard child and taunts Karin, insisting she, too, will give in to men when one makes a move. This story is taken from the traditional tale "Töres dotter i Wänge" with surprising accuracy.
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times says this is "a straight equating of violence and revenge, of brutality and compassion", and that "Bergman has stocked it with scenes of brutality that, for sheer unrestrained realism, may leave one sickened and stunned." Crowther, who finds the plot overly simplistic, says "the conflict is simply and clearly what it probably was in that age—between the pagan urge to have vengeance and the Christian will to forgive."
On that last point, I think there is more to be said. For one thing, it is odd to have a Christian morality tale from an atheist director. If the conflict is simply pagan versus Christian, how does Christian morality win in an atheist's tale? Methinks there is something more afoot.
Ivan Butler believes that the "horror is in the revenge more than in the original wrong." I disagree. The murder of rapists cannot be seen as more vile than the rape and murder of a young girl. He also suggests that "the father's fury may be partly motivated by an incestuous affection for his daughter", though this claim has very little support, in my opinion.
Most reviews will focus on the film's brutality. While the violence is strong at times, it seems to dance on the line without crossing over into glamorization. And for any modern film-goer, there shouldn't be anything here that hasn't been seen before, for better or worse.
This story went on to be remade by Wes Craven as horror revenge film "Last House on the Left"... and then remade again. It has become something of a perennial revenge tale.