The Passion of Anna (1969)

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The Passion of Anna (1969) – I. Bergman

After a break, I’m back to working my way through the Criterion Blu-Ray box set (in the curated order, rather than chronologically).  Following Shame (1968) with The Passion makes sense because they both star Liv Ullmann and Max von Sydow as a couple under duress and also because a late scene in the latter seems to include outtakes from the former (a nightmare sequence, of course).  Both Anna (Ullmann) and Andreas (von Sydow) are people who are not coping well with their experiences.  She has survived a car accident that killed her husband and child.  He has a less clear past but is separated or divorced and has been in prison for forgery and punching a cop.  They live on a remote island (Bergman’s Faro is the set) that has been experiencing episodes of animal abuse; Andreas has befriended the suspect who is being hounded by the community.  They are also friends with another couple (Bibi Andersson and Erland Josephson) who also have a problematic relationship (he is cold and successful; she is fragile and emotionally unstable).  Bergman himself is likely the model for the male characters and their avoidant behaviour (or so we might want to assume).  The plot is anything but predictable and a certain degree of tension is built up by external events (and a reference to the Vietnam war) in addition to the internal dynamics of the couples.  Having the actors take turns talking about their interpretation of the characters was an interesting experimental addition. This was Bergman’s second film in colour (with Sven Nykvist behind the camera) and his close-ups are even more impactful (on blu-ray).  I did grow a little bit weary with the ruminating and self-absorption on display but I guess this is something you’ve got to expect with this director.