Review of The Best Intentions (1992) by Richard D — 19 Jan 2017
After he officially retired from directing, Ingmar Bergman wrote this screenplay about his parents ... their meeting, marriage and early life together. Billie August, straight from "Pelle the Conqueror" with Max Von Sydow, was chosen to direct.
Von Sydow appears as Bergman's maternal grandfather. August's wife Pernilla stars as Bergman's mother Anna. The couple come from very different socio-economic backgrounds, so both families oppose the marriage.
Anna is advantaged and somewhat spoiled, so she has difficulty adjusting to a life as the wife of a rural preacher. Bergman's father Henrik comes from a background of extreme poverty and nurses a deep hurt that lashes out at others when conflict arises.
The version I watched is the 3 hour feature, edited down from 5 1/2 hour version originally aired on Swedish television. Everything about this is top notch, from the performances to the production design to the direction.
This review of The Best Intentions (1992) was written by Richard D on 19 Jan 2017.
The Best Intentions has generally received very positive reviews.
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