Review of Fanny and Alexander (1982) by Akash S — 16 Oct 2014

Ingmar Bergman's 'Fanny och Alexander', originally intended as the director's "swan song", is a five-hour five-act epic which explores the lives of the different members of the Ekdahl family. The First Act beautifully explores the family's get-together at Christmas, and sheds some light on the individual families of the three brothers as well. Then the remaining acts go on to follow the ups and downs of the two siblings, Fanny and Alexander, and their mother Emilie, and how everyone in the Ekdahl family tries to cope with it.

Each of the characters in the movie is so uniquely fascinating, and really have something to offer to the combined family as well as the movie. The rich colours and cinematography, the in-depth exploration of the characters' lives, the movie is filled with heartwarming and hilarious moments; there isn't a single dull moment in it.

All the actors involved with the movie have done a brilliant job, especially the beautiful and charming Ewa Fröling delights us with her talented performance of Emilie Ekdahl. I wonder why I haven't seen her in many movies; she really has the ability to captivate you with her eyes and emotions. Helena's conversation with his son's soul and Isak Jacobi's monologue with the children were really entrancing.

'Fanny och Alexander' is an ornately shot period piece that beautifully studies both childhood and adulthood (not of the same character). As critic Aaron Hillis from 'Village Voice' says so aptly, 'nothing else in his (Bergman) oeuvre addresses so directly his childhood escapes into fantasy as the by-product of a harsh Lutheran upbringing.' It explores many themes like loss, prison-like childhood, polygamy, etc., but the story is essentially about the importance of family. Overall, the movie is quite life-affirming and memorable. Please watch the five-hour long cut to get the director's intended vision and proper impact of the epic.