It took a long time to have even a slight interest in Stig and pouting, depressing being. He is a mediocre violinist playing in a second tier orchestra. He has an incredibly inflated view of his abilities. When he gets his opportunity to solo, he blows it, but, of course, none of it is his fault. He becomes involved with Marta, who is herself a complex being. He is known for his embarrassing behavior, like he exhibits at her birthday party. But still she finds in him something that leads to their getting married. Her pregnancy derails things for a while but they fall back together. Meanwhile, he begins to see a beautiful young woman, the wife of a much older man and friend. He really is a cad and even though things are going so well, he can't handle a settled situation. Eventually, this involvement with a mistress becomes too much for the couple. She gets fed up and he regresses to his tight little self- centered world. At some point he sees that there is more to life than wandering around in the pits and they are reunited. We already know the ending because the whole thing is done in flashback. There is stunning cinematography, lovely closeups, black and white images that translate emotionally. Bergman seemed to be a master from the very beginning of his career.
