Sawdust And Tinsel (1953) ****
Sawdust And Tinsel (1953) was considered by director Ingmar Bergman himself to be his first truly great film. Of the films of his that predate Sawdust that I've seen (those being the two Summer films), I think they are also both great but Sawdust really feels like Bergman hitting his stride and seems to be regarded as his first true masterpiece.
Central to Sawdust is circus ringmaster Albert—beaten down by life on the road and having abandoned his wife and children—and his younger mistress Anne—a bareback rider in the show, just as eager to escape the carnie lifestyle. During our time spent with them, they make each other jealous and angry through various acts of self and outwardly-aimed degradation. We also spend time (including in one very effective and memorable flashback near the very beginning of the film) with another couple, the pathetic clown Frost and his headstrong but empathetic wife Alma. As well, there is a key scene between Albert and his wife, now successfully running her own business after Albert left her.
The whole cast is excellent, in particular its leads Åke Grönberg (as Albert), a not terribly likable character that we can somehow still sympathize with through his humiliation), and Harriet Andersson (as Anne), at once beautiful, tragic and defiant. Sawdust also features three different cinematographers (each offering a distinct look to the various segments), including the master, Sven Nykvist (Bergman's first of many collaborations with him), providing the perfect chiaroscuro mood to compliment the characters' misery.
Once again, as I continue to discover Bergman's works, I am nothing short of impressed by his ability to portray sad people doing terrible things in the most poetically pleasing manner possible.
You can find my Ingmar Bergman Feature Films Ranked list here.
Central to Sawdust is circus ringmaster Albert—beaten down by life on the road and having abandoned his wife and children—and his younger mistress Anne—a bareback rider in the show, just as eager to escape the carnie lifestyle. During our time spent with them, they make each other jealous and angry through various acts of self and outwardly-aimed degradation. We also spend time (including in one very effective and memorable flashback near the very beginning of the film) with another couple, the pathetic clown Frost and his headstrong but empathetic wife Alma. As well, there is a key scene between Albert and his wife, now successfully running her own business after Albert left her.
The whole cast is excellent, in particular its leads Åke Grönberg (as Albert), a not terribly likable character that we can somehow still sympathize with through his humiliation), and Harriet Andersson (as Anne), at once beautiful, tragic and defiant. Sawdust also features three different cinematographers (each offering a distinct look to the various segments), including the master, Sven Nykvist (Bergman's first of many collaborations with him), providing the perfect chiaroscuro mood to compliment the characters' misery.
Once again, as I continue to discover Bergman's works, I am nothing short of impressed by his ability to portray sad people doing terrible things in the most poetically pleasing manner possible.
You can find my Ingmar Bergman Feature Films Ranked list here.
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