Review of Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) by Sam C — 13 May 2009
And who said that Ingmar Bergman didn't have a sense of humor?
Smiles of a Summer Night is a sweet little giddy movie from, surprisingly, Ingmar Bergman (who I consider to be one of the greatest directors of all time). This is also the the breakthrough success Bergman needed, as the studio told him that they would not finance his next film if Smiles did not perform well. Thankfully it did, and paved him a road with a sign that read, "total control" for whatever else he made there after (cue Seventh Seal).
Smiles is a dialogue heavy, romantic comedy (funny how Woody Allan isn't that moved by this piece) about mismatched couples and how they all come together at the estate of a hailed actress who tries to set the course right for everybody, including herself. Bergman usually deals with themes regarding the human condition (depression, illness, confusion, etc.) and it can still be seen here, as some people question their love, some people question their life and others are just plain horny. It's all in good fun.
This review of Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) was written by Sam C on 13 May 2009.
Smiles of a Summer Night has generally received very positive reviews.
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