by Jake Hjort, Contributing Writer
Welcome back, fellow time travelers, to another edition of 20th Century Flicks! This month, in a continued effort to check classic cinema off of my list of shame, I’m diving back to the year 1957 to watch Ingmar Bergman’s Wild Strawberries. As I carry on with my journey to cover some of Hollywood’s greatest directors, I figured my quest would not be complete without a look-in on Bergman, who not only shaped the Swedish film industry, but continues to influence filmmakers around the globe today.
Wild Strawberries, like much of Bergman’s work, is set in Sweden, and follows aging professor of medicine Isak Borg (Victor Sjöström) as he drives from Stockholm to Lund to accept an academic award. Joining Isak on his journey is his daughter-in-law Marianne (Ingrid Thulin), who struggles with the bitter nature of both Isak and his son. Along their way, the two encounter several other travelers who force Isak to reckon with his past, including free-spirited Sara (Bibi Andersson) and her two admirers, Viktor (Björn Bjelfvenstam) and Anders (Folke Sundquist), and bickering married couple Sten (Gunnar Sjöberg) and Berit Alman (Gunnel Broström).
Coming into this, I really had no idea what to expect in terms of the story, tone, or artistry. I am, of course, broadly aware of Bergman as a director and his contribution to cinema history, but I’d never actually seen one of his films before this one. Call me ignorant for not having high expectations for one of the most acclaimed directors of all time, but I was really blown away by how much I enjoyed Wild Strawberries. The story is simple, following just one man as he travels, quite literally, down memory lane, but Bergman distills a great depth of the human experience into this 91-minute package. We hardly know Isak, seeing just one day of his life, plus a few flashbacks, but the time that we do get is so well-crafted that we really get the chance to understand him. Isak is aloof, cantankerous, and stubborn, traits that the film certainly does not forgive him for, but as he relives his past through memories and the hitchhikers he picks up and, as he confronts love and legacy through nightmares and daydreams, both the audience and he himself are able to unearth why he is this way and what he may need to do to find peace.
With so much of the film’s weight on Isak’s shoulders, it would fall flat without a great leading performance, and thankfully Sjöström is able to deliver one. Himself a titan of the Swedish film industry, Sjöström made a name for himself as a prolific director and actor of silent films, his illustrious career ending here with his final role as Dr. Isak Borg. You can certainly feel the weight of his age and career in this performance, as he crafts a character that feels incredibly fleshed out, dynamic, and inspired by real life experiences. Alongside Sjöström, the cast is filled with many of Bergman’s regular collaborators giving great supporting performances, with Andersson, Thulin, and Björnstrand being particular standouts.
Aside from the emotional gut punches and great characters, what impressed me most about Wild Strawberries is how beautiful it is. Cinematographer Gunnar Fischer is an absolute master of the monochrome, drawing out more contrast and depth in the various shades of gray than I’ve ever seen before. Never before have I watched a black-and-white film and felt as though I could see the full range of color that the camera was once pointed at. There’s no sweeping vistas or dynamic action sequences that often get all the cinematography praise, but there’s so much beauty in the simple moments in the car and in the Swedish countryside that I would put this high in my estimation of the best shot films I’ve seen.
Wild Strawberries is a simple film, but in that simplicity Bergman is able to draw out many of the complex truths of life. Despite the lack of flash, this is an incredibly memorable watching experience that I think will stick with me for quite some time and continue to gain more favor the more I think about it. This is a movie which, frankly, would never have been on my radar if not for writing this column, but I am so glad to have found it and to now be inspired to watch more of Bergman and Sjöstrom’s work.
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