Review of Port of Call (1948) by Ally C — 02 Feb 2011

Port of Call is one of Bergman's first films to introduce techniques for which he would become renowned for in his later career. Although he had dealt with some of the themes in the film previously, in Port of Call, he deals with them in a much more adult way.

Adult in the sense of the less-dramatic and also in a more revealingly sexual way. The themes of the film matter; suicide, depression, promiscuity, abuse and freedom and all are acted out with dignity and convincing realism.

The two lead characters in the film, Berit (played by Nine-Christine Jonsson) and Gosta (Bengt Eklund), portray a relationship that has to adapt to the changing times and attitudes of what is acceptable at the time.

Berit has grown up under extreme conditions with a hateful mother and abusive father and she brings these things to bear with her teenage lovers (controversial at the time) and finally, her relationship with Gosta.

He has led a relatively sheltered life and must decide whether to accept these things in the woman he loves or cast her aside like so many before him. To say the film sits easily in Bergman's canon is a compliment to an artist who was still finding his voice but Port of Call marks the time when that voice was becoming more relevant and humanised and paves the way for his more melancholy ballads on life in the 50's and beyond.