Review of Winter Light (1963) by Alexavier R — 29 Oct 2008

Part two of Bergman's Trilogy, and it's no surprise that it's every bit as compelling as its predecessor, "Through a Glass Darkly". Winter Light. by comparison, is much more subdued then its companion and while it may not quite have grabbed me as much as Through a Glass Darkly, it's still a brilliant piece of film making.

The two leads, Gunnar Bjornstrand and Ingrid Thulin, give outstanding performances. Both are very understated in their roles and it really lends itself to the atmosphere and themes of the film. As I mentioned with Through a Glass Darkly, the cinematography for the film, by Sven Nykvist, very much defines the film for me.

Unlike Through a Glass Darkly, which while being very dark thematically, Winter Light has a much more gritty feel to it. The camera doesn't seem quite as interested in capturing the best framing for each scene and as so, the film seems much more of the moment.

Every moment seems to be created right before your very eyes and it makes the film seem very intimate and personal, possibly even more so then Through a Glass Darkly. Also, as a final note, one must mention the amazing 7 minute close up on Ingrid Thulin as she recites the letter she has just written.

It's an amazing scene, possibly one of the best I have yet to see in a Bergman film, and Thulin delivers every line with such precision and care that it's really a sigh to behold.