Review of Autumn Sonata (1978) by Al M — 03 Sep 2010

This is not one of my favorite Bergman films. While the direction is superb and Ullmann and Bergman's (Ingrid that is) acting are sublime, the film is garish looking. Bergman's black and white films represent some of the most beautifully composed cinematic images in the history of the art form. Unfortunately, his aesthetic does not always translate well to color, and Autumn Sonata always feels washed out and drab.

That being said, the film is still a powerful exploration of dysfunctional family dynamics and the long term effects of childhood neglect. Autumn Sonata concerns an acclaimed concert pianist and her daughter. Charlotte (the pianist played by Bergman) has neglected her family for career for decades. At the point the film starts, Charlotte has not seen her two daughters for seven years. When she goes to stay with her daughter Eva, she discovers that Eva (Liv Ullmann) and her husband have taken Charlotte's other daughter, Helena, out of the sanitarium and are taking care of her at their home. While Eva longed for her mother's visit and believed she had forgiven her, she finds that she cannot keep her hatred from boiling to the surface. As hate and love collide within her, Eva and Charlotte recount many events from their pasts and deal with the haunted nature of their lives. It is powerfully acted and emotionally harrowing cinematic experience. The awful cinematography detracts somewhat from its impact, but it still manages to pack an emotional wallop.