A heavenly boudoir farce, alternately sardonic to it's inhabitants, then surprisngly tender, this is easily Bergman's finest comedy.
SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT is set in turn-of-the-century Sweden and takes place primarily at an old country estate, where love permeates the summer air. As a result of the scheming of actress Desiree Armfeldt (Eva Dahlbeck), a group of former, present, and would-be lovers gathers at her mother's
country home, including Desiree's one-time lover Fredrik Egerman (Gunnar Bjornstrand); Anne (Ulla Jacobsson), his 20-year-old, still-virgin wife of two years; Fredrik's son, Henrik (Bjorn Bjelvenstam), a theology student a little younger than his stepmother; Desiree's current lover, Count Malcolm
(Jarl Kulle); and his wife, Charlotte (Margit Carlqvist). In the course of this midsummer's eve, Anne runs off with her stepson, Fredrik rekindles his romance with Desiree, and Count Malcolm and Charlotte reconcile their marriage--while the maid, Petra (Harriet Andersson), literally rolls in the
hay with a coachman.
SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT is erotic and lyrical, full of blithe spirits brilliantly evoked. Though Bergman's staging of the affair occasionally suggests a proscenium is just beyond the frame, the ensemble brings joyful veracity to the romantic complications and well-drawn characters. Influenced by
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Bergman's film provided the inspiration for the Broadway musical A Little Night Music and Woody Allen's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SEX COMEDY. leave a comment