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Harriet Andersson, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Max von Sydow, Lars Passgård

Ingmar Bergman won his second Best Foreign Film Oscar for the moody family drama Through a Glass Darkly. It is the first of what came to be called his "chamber dramas," which positioned four character... read more read more...s in one place where they could interact like a string quartet. It has also been referred to as the first of his trilogy of faith, followed by Winter Light and The Silence, dealing with issues of God and love. Shot in black-and-white and running only 90 minutes long, the film opens with a quote from the book of Corinthians. Suffering from severe mental illness, Karin (Harriet Andersson) has just been released from a psychiatric hospital. She vacations for a summer on an island with her family to help speed up her recovery, but they can't offer the support that she needs. Her father, David (Gunnar Björnstrand), is a clinical and detached writer; her husband, Martin (Max Von Sydow), is a doctor unable to assist her illness; and her brother, Minus (Lars Passgård), is sexually coming of age and dealing with his own emotional problems. Karin's condition worsens and she thinks a spider is God. It has been argued that the script for Through a Glass Darkly was influenced by Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story, The Yellow Wallpaper. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

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Unrated, 1 hr. 31 min.

Directed by: Ingmar Bergman

Release Date: October 16, 1961

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DVD Release Date: June 29, 1994

Stats: 510 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (510)

  • SirPant
    July 5, 2011
    SirPant
    I wonder if Ingmar Bergman purposefully kept the first third of Through A Glass Darkly dull and lifeless only to enhance the visuals and then performances of the second and third acts respectively. If he did then it certainly worked, I was pulled back in with a jolt just as I was... read more beginning to loose interest. The performances are brilliant, particularly from Harriet Andersson, the writing is exquisite and after reading up on the chamber dramas as they've come to be known, I can't wait to see more. I would suggest this is only a suggestion of the greatness to come though, I liked it a lot but I don't love it. I seem to be in the minority in thinking that the b/w cinematography was below par considering how masterfully The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries were shot but I digress, this is cinematic brilliance.
  • axadntpron
    July 4, 2011
    axadntpron
    In a time so inundated with cinematic gimmickry, a filmmaker such as Ingmar Bergman would never succeed. Rather than fancy camera work, he relies on powerful framing and the story itself to move viewers.
    The first film in his faith trilogy is starkly austere. Bergman's characters... read more emerge from the water and enter a world of isolation. Not only isolated on an island that is surrounded by the silence and the serene, but emotionally isolated as well. Gunnar Bjornstrand plays the career obsessed patriarch whose forced and shallow attempts at reaching out to his family are obvious to all . Max Von Sydow is the husband who goes through all the right motions, but seems rather emotionless toward the wife he claims to love. Finally there is Karin, played wonderfully by Harriet Anderson. Karin is deemed mentally I'll, but her real suffering comes from the lack of God's presence. This yearning, this malady, she is conscious of, which makes God's silence all the more unbearable. What makes things worse is that those closest to her are unable and/or unwilling to understand her.
    There aren't any major twists and turns, just an sincere look at the existence of a loving God.
    In doing so, Bergman conjures not only powerful imagery, but also almighty observations about human existence.
    We are so adroit at refining our lives and suppressing what we really feel, that we believe our lies to be truth. These aren't easy observations to swallow, but it is refreshing to know that a gifted storyteller like Bergman has tried.
    It may be a bleak glimpse of humanity but I'll be damned if I ever find a film more honest than this.
  • RCCLBC
    July 22, 2010
    RCCLBC
    The first in Bergman's "Silent God" trilogy a subject matter that I find very intriguing. Though I found this film to be just as much about the intricacies of personal relationships as it was the intricacies of religion.

    I can't think of a better analogy on family / religion ... read morethen this quote from the film: "We draw a magic circle and shut out everything that doesn't agree with our secret games. Each time life breaks the circle, the games turn gray and ridiculous. Then we draw a new circle and build a new defense." I love this line and believe that if more people in the world were open to new ideas and "drew new circles" rather then wallowing in doubt and fear inside their (often horribly antiquated) circles - acting "gray and ridiculous"...the world would be a better place.

    I know this might sound strange to some people (seeing how this is a black & white film) but it is just beautiful to watch. Bergman's eye is impeccable.

    I found it interesting that while time is implied throughout the film (morning, night, etc.)...visually they appear to be stuck in a dawn/dusk sort of place. Never fully light and never completely dark. Perhaps a subtle reference to their relationships with both God and eachother?

    The acting is stellar. Harriet Anderson in particular does an amazing job at drifting seemlessly between: ingenue, sex kitten, repressed wife and mad woman. A performance that is ultimately heartbreaking.

    It is definately a thinking persons film, so if you are somoene who likes to have everything spelled out nicely for you along the way and tied in a pretty bow at the end - skip it. If however you enjoy a film that stays with you for days - thinking about and discussing all of it's intricacies...then pop it in the DVD and ENJOY!
  • matertenebraum
    December 13, 2009
    matertenebraum
    Bergman was without question a master when it came to the cinema of alienation; presenting characters with a singular point of view that is at odds with the world around them, leaving them inevitably cut off and isolated with their own distorted thoughts and fears. In many of his... read more films, such as Hour of the Wolf (1966), Shame (1968) and A Passion (1969), to cite three of the most obvious, the inability to see eye to eye with other human beings - even on an entirely intimate level - leads the characters to seek solace and escape; creating their own limited psychological space and projecting it outwardly, like the artists in Shame or Andreas in A Passion. Alongside these ideas, there are conflicting issues presented by Bergman in other films, most notably Persona (1966), in which the outward projection of an idealised world that protects you from the judgements and criticisms of the wider world is internalised; giving way to a breakdown in reality and the projection of visions that have no clear bearing on reality.

    Through a Glass Darkly (1961) represents an early attempt by Bergman to experiment with this latter, internalised approach to figurative storytelling; the idea that the story, although interesting in itself, is being used a springboard to a metaphorical encounter that should not be taken at face value. For me, it is perhaps less interesting than later films, such as Winter Light (1962) and The Silence (1963), which look at superficially similar ideas but on a much broader canvas. The reason this film doesn't work quite as well for me is simply down to the fact that Bergman was at this stage still very much attached to the broader aspects of character and melodrama. This is why the film is far too often misinterpreted as being entirely about religious issues and ideas of catholic guilt, which is largely considered to be a continual factor in Bergman's work, pre-Persona. To focus entirely on the religious themes and iconography, for me, detracts from the more interesting psychological interpretation that the film represents, and the always fascinating idea that Kårin is somehow fashioning this facade in an attempt to cope with the horrors of a real world, still desperately trying to claw her back.

    For me, the more interesting aspect of Bergman's work was his handling of purely psychological themes, whether abstracted by elements of surrealism and metaphor, like The Seventh Seal (1957) with its grand manifestation of death, or Persona and Hour of the Wolf, with the horror of creativity and the secrets of the past creating an inescapable hell. Other films walk a similar path, but do so in a much more subtle way, dealing with recognisable narrative concerns like in Virgin Spring (1960) or Scenes from a Marriage (1973). Through a Glass Darkly inadvertently falls somewhere in between the two; presenting a story that on the surface seems thematically simplistic, centred and theatrical, but ultimately offering deeper and more personal interpretations when we look beneath the surface. For many, it is clear that Kårin is a woman with serve mental problems; cut off from friends and family who want what is best for her, and convinced that God will one day appear to her through a walled up doorway in the attic and offer her the ultimate in salvation.

    If you're religious enough you might take the notion at face value, however, it is clear that Bergman is highlighting something else here, whether it's broader notions of insanity, a plea for suicide or darker interpretations regarding Kårin and her family. The actual interpretation will ultimately, like any great work of cinema, be subjective of the individual viewer; however, there are clearly a lot of themes and issues presented by Bergman here that are ripe for further analysis. Through a Glass Darkly is ultimately an interesting work, one that sees Bergman moving away from the territory of films like Summer with Monika (1955), Wild Strawberries (1957) and Virgin Spring, and more towards the psychological and meta-textual work that he would create throughout the 1960's. For me, it is tied far too rigidly to the conventions of character and melodrama - in particular, the even more rigid aspects of Scandinavian melodrama - to really work on the deeper level of films like The Silence, Persona, Shame and A Passion, though nonetheless, it remains an interesting work from a true master of cinema.
  • kenstachnik
    December 16, 2007
    kenstachnik
    BLah Blah Blah Beautiful Photography Blah Blah Blah God is Silent Blah Blah Blah I just can't get excited about solemn Swedish social situations
  • sanjurosamurai
    March 21, 2007
    sanjurosamurai
    this was a decent film. better than another bergman film that is often compared with this one called winter light, this story was a little more compelling. the acting was great and bergman got some wonderful shots. this movie was very slow however, and you really sort of miss ... read morethe point until the last 30 minutes or so. a very simple film taking place on a single set, this film was made to convey a very simple point about hope and faith. i really didnt enjoy this film until the final scene, but that final scene is one of the best scenes i have ever seen in a movie. its a profound scene that explains and justifies the movie and gives this film a reason for exsisting.
  • fb1619601747
    April 21, 2012
    fb1619601747
    Some interesting themes in the first entry of Bergman's so called 'Trilogy of Faith.' Gunnar Bjorstrand is always good.
  • fb1142797643
    April 1, 2011
    fb1142797643
    Beautifully photographed, beautifully acted. The tensions between the characters are so engrossing and powerful that you'll scarcely even realize there are just four actors in the film.
  • hypathio7
    January 8, 2009
    hypathio7
    Again the use of light and shadow and how the human face or scenery is viewed is wonderful. The story, the message, however just confused me. I didn't gather much meaning from watching this family of four. Karin (Andersson) and Minus (Passgard) are sister and brother. Their m... read moreother died years ago and their father is always off traveling. Their father, David (Bjornstrand), is now back to visit. He is a writer and is almost done with his latest book. Karin is married to Martin (von Sydow) who takes care of her. Karin is losing her sanity and suffering from delusions. Supposedly her mother suffered from the same affliction, but for Karin it started around the time her mother died and her father started spending large amounts of time away from home. There are slight suggestions that some sexual trauma could be involved. Could incest be in this family's past? Maybe so, maybe not. Maybe I'm looking for similar themes (the rape in The Virgin Spring) that Bergman didn't intend. Andersson plays the role of Karin well, bouncing back and fourth between sanity and insanity, in her delusional moments writhing about in pleasure or fear. Her delusions involve God coming to visit her and a room full of good people. Her husband hopes all along that her problems can be managed and that she can live a normal life. Her father is more resigned to the fact that it will get worse before it gets better, if it gets better.

    I learned in a DVD special feature that the "artist" is a classic element of a Bergman film. Karin's father is the artist here. Martin takes moral issue with David using his daughter's problems as material for the book he is currently finishing. I really don't get why this is such a big issue and the driving force self-destructing the family in this film. I understand "using" someone for financial gain could be troublesome, but that is what artists do. Artists draw from their life experiences and people they know in creating art. In specific terms this issue could be worse, in abstract terms this isn't really an issue as presented here. Anyways, the father and son don't talk much, but at the end they have an abrupt conversation about God being all forms of love. This didn't leave me feeling complete or hopeful though, since the whole time God was part of Karin's delusions.

    I liked a couple of the lines of dialog though. If there was any meaning I got out of this it was here in these lines. David: "We draw a magic circle and shut out everything that doesn't agree with our secret games. Each time life breaks the circle, the games turn gray and ridiculous. Then we draw a new circle and build a new defense." Karin: "Poor little daddy." David: "Yes, poor little daddy, forced to live in reality." I think the movie is more about delusion versus reality! And I think the movie is made in such a way as to make the general audience feel confused. Karin: "It's so horrible to see your own confusion and understand it." Ultimately, our confusion might help us connect or empathize with Karin.
  • fb208103125
    July 15, 2011
    fb208103125
    Another of Bergman's masterpieces, Through A Glass Darkly tells the story of a young wife who is spending summer with her family on an island to help her recovery from a mental disease. Her brother, father, and husband all love her and want the best but each also has their own st... read moreruggles to overcome as well. In the end she gets worse and worse eventually leading her to believe God speaks to her through the walls of an old room and actually manifests as a spider trying to penetrate her. She eventually comes to the realization that she should go into town and stay at the hospital indefinitely. A bleak and depressing film that also conveys stunning depth and beauty! Highly Recommended for those that can appreciate deep and intellectual films with human emotions and the human soul at the core.

View All Såsom i en Spegel (Through A Glass Darkly) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
August 1, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

Not a pleasant film, it is a great one. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 9, 2005
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Mr. Bergman has laid out the materials upon a narrow and forbidding plateau and has got some magnificent performers to give light and shadow to it. Full Review

Jay Antani
August 16, 2010
Jay Antani, Cinema Writer

Bergman's mastery with actors (there is absolutely never a bad performance in a single one of his films) and with the cinematic form (using space and mood to communicate his theme) is abundantly clear... Full Review

Ken Hanke
August 29, 2007
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

A film in search of profound truths that it can only hint at having caught glimmerings of, and it's a truly remarkable experience. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
August 7, 2007
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The first of Ingmar Bergman's bleak but outstanding films from his trilogy of chamber plays about faith, alienation and the emptiness of life. Full Review

August 29, 2006
TV Guide's Movie Guide

[Features] The usual fine performances from Bergman's regulars combined with a script that is not as ponderous as much of the director's other works. Full Review

Geoff Andrew
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

Preserving a strict unity of time and place, this stark tale of a young woman's decline into insanity is set in a summer home on a holiday island. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 4, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Deservedly winning the 1961 Foreign Language Oscar, this gloomy and intense family drama, set on a romate island, is the first in a trilogy that explores issues of religion, faith, and human fraiglity. Full Review

Christopher Null
August 17, 2003
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

A truly thoughtful and moving film about human nature and (of course) man's struggle with a higher power. Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Despite its flaws, the film is enjoyable, intelligently constructed and technically remarkable. Full Review

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    • Karin: The door opened, but the god was a spider. He came up to me and I saw his face. It was a terrible stoney face. He scrambled up and tried to penetrate me, but I defended myself. All along I saw his eyes. They were cold and calm. When he couldn't penetrate me he continued up my chest, up into my face and onto the wall. I have seen God.
    • Karin: He that loves for real always does right by his loved one.
    • Fredrik David's son known as Minus: Oblivion shall own me and death alone shall love me.
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Såsom i en Spegel (Through A Glass Darkly) Trivia

Såsom i en Spegel (Through A Glas... Trivia

  • This Ingmar Bergman film was shot on the island of Faro, where the director would live during the last years of his life.  Answer »
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