Review of Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) by Luke P — 29 Dec 2008
Reminded me of other romantic farces like Renoir's "Rules of the Game" and Carne's "Children of Paradise". The film also shows a side of Ingmar Bergman more prominent in his later works. Its a near-tragic comedy that deals with both infidelity and untraditional love.
Fredric's young wife becomes suspicious of her husband's relationship to an older actress named Desiree, who is caught with Fredric by another lover, who is married to a friend of Fredric's wife. Fredric also has a depressed son, who suffers from the flirtations of the house maid, and also from an attraction to his father's new young wife.
Bergman plays the tangles out expertly, to a climax that almost ends in "Rules of the Game" tragedy...but instead concludes on a positive and existential revelation on the nature of love. Though lighter than his more philosophical work, this may be my favorite film by Ingmar Bergman.
This review of Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) was written by Luke P on 29 Dec 2008.
Smiles of a Summer Night has generally received very positive reviews.
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