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Fanny and Alexander 
Actors : Bertil Guve, Pernilla Allwin, Kristina Adolphson, Börje Ahlstedt, Kristian Almgren
Director : Ingmar Bergman
Studio : MGM (Video & DVD)
by MGM (Video & DVD)
Release Date : 1999-03-02
Publisher : MGM (Video & DVD)
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 2
EAN : 9780792840244
UPC : 027616731036
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 71 reviews)
List Price : $14.95
Our Price : $3.89
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Marketadvisory.com essential video |
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One of the more upbeat and accessible films by acclaimed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. Written by Bergman, this autobiographical story follows the lives of two children during one tumultuous year. After the death of the children's beloved father, a local theater owner, their mother marries a strict clergyman. Their new life is cold and ascetic, especially when compared to the unfettered and impassioned life they knew with their father. Most of the story is seen through the eyes of the little boy and is often told in dreamlike sequences. Colorful, insightful, and optimistic, this is far less grim than most of Bergman's work. It was awarded four of the six Oscars for which it was nominated, including Best Foreign Language Film. Though this was announced as his last film, Bergman continued to work into the late 1990s, though mostly for Swedish television. --Rochelle O'Gorman |
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Very good |
Why Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman's 1982 final `filmic film', Fanny & Alexander (Fanny Och Alexander), bears the appellation it does is a mystery- one of many in the film, since the first titular character, Fanny (Pernilla Allwin) is a third or fourth level supporting character at best, and in the three hour theatrical version of the film she is not even mentioned by name for nearly an hour into the film. The film really should be called Alexander & Fanny, or simply Alexander, since it most closely follows two years in the life of young, handsome, brown-haired Alexander Ekdahl (Bertil Guve)- the original `boy who sees dead people,' from 1907 to 1909. Better yet, it should really be called The Ekdahls, for it is that whole family that is central to the film, especially Fanny and Alexander's beautiful blond mother Emilie (Ewa Fröling- a more intellectual, sensuous, and earth motherish version of Denise Richards, who bears a remarkable facial resemblance to Guve; especially in the cheekbones and puffy lips). Her deep, gorgeous blue eyes hold a viewer's attention, as do the eyes of Liv Ullman, who was originally offered the part, but turned it down. Yes, there are many things that do not make sense in this film- both in the internal narrative and the external aspects of the tale, but this is not necessarily a bad thing.
The theatrical version did win four Academy Awards; for Best Foreign Film, Costume Design (Marik Vos), Art Direction-Set Decoration (Anna Asp), and for the cinematography of Sven Nykvist. This triumph is best illustrated in the scenes of the death of Oscar Ekdahl (Allan Edwall), where beautiful and ornate clocks and shiny accoutrements are contrasted with a bucket of vomit. But it is the 312 minute television series is unquestionably a great film, although it does not have the unadorned greatness of earlier Bergman classics, like Wild Strawberries, Winter Light, nor, most cogently, Scenes From A Marriage- Bergman's earlier tv miniseries that was also released theatrically in a truncated form, but which is a better film, especially in the comparative shorter versions. The shorter version of this film feels chopped up, has too many plot holes, due to some questionable editing by Bergman, especially when compared to the longer television version of the film. Why, as example, does Bergman retain any of the stand alone scenes of Carl Ekdahl and his marital woes in the shorter version, since they go nowhere and contribute nothing to the denouement, and where the best scene that character has is of farting out a burning candlestick to entertain the children? here is an example where leaving a bit of a plot does no good and it should have been wholly excised. By contrast, there are a number of scenes from the longer version that should never have been removed- such as Alexander's run-in with the ghosts of the daughters of the evil Bishop Edvard Vergerus (Jan Malmsjö- who was Peter, the feckless friend to Erland Josephson's Johan, in Scenes From A Marriage)- who torment and puke on him, or the dramatic showdown between Carl and Gustav Adolf and the Bishop, after they have engineered the rescue of the children from the Bishop's home, and revealed the Bishop as a philanderer who owes 110,000 kronor in debts.
Yet, Fanny & Alexander deserves its place in the Bergman and filmic canons, even if it does occasionally suffer from some of what can be labeled `old artist's syndrome'- i.e.- the tendency to over-sentimentalize the past. Bergman was 64 by the film's release.... Fanny & Alexander, while a great film- especially in its longer version, is not all that its greatest boosters claim....Oddly, it is the shorter theatrical version of the film- with its many narrative gaps and unresolved issues, which feels a bit too long, not the significantly longer television version. Yet, despite the above named divergent themes, and the presence of `the other' in the film, the inexplicable works, and works superbly- especially in the deeper, longer, and richer television version, where we get glimpses of the Bishop and his evil clan far earlier in the film, as well as more depth on important characters like Carl Ekdahl and Isak Jacobi. Perhaps it is because most of the film is told from a child's eye point of view, which always warps reality to its own psychological needs, or maybe the whole film is just a child's dream, for early on Alexander Ekdahl falls asleep. Does he ever really wake up?
Whatever interpretation one wants to apply to this film, it is essential to the canon of Ingmar Bergman, and captures an essential bit of humanity past, just as superb films like Yasujiro Ozu's Tokyo Story or Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver do. It will be relevant for as long as humanity exists, just as those other great works are, for despite its setting, we all know people like the Ekdahls and Vergeruses. That it lets us know a bit more about ourselves is merely icing on a damned tasty cake, one that remains tempting even as eaten, and gets better with each viewing. Having seen it thrice, both versions and the theatrical version with comments, this claim is no mystery. Swallow now.
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Such a rich and fulfilling look at family and tragedy... |
`Fanny och Alexander' is not going to appeal to everyone, but if this brand of drama is your cup of tea then it will quickly rise as one of your favorite films ever made. The late (great) Ingmar Bergman has a very strong and loyal following among cinematic lovers like myself, for his brand of filmmaking was unique and all his own. His films are deep and meaningful and have cemented him as one of the greatest directors of all time, placing him alongside the likes of Orson Welles (whom he bitterly despised) as one of the most influential names in the world of film. `Fanny och Alexander' may very well be his finest film, and in its entirety it is one of the fullest and richest films of all time.
Each frame adds so much beauty, understanding and complexity.
Bergman's film tells the story of the Ekdahl's, an upper-class Swedish family, as they deal with tragedy within the family. During rehearsal for `Hamlet', Oscar Ekdahl, one of three sons, suddenly dies, leaving behind his young wife Emilie and their two children, Fanny and Alexander. This tragic event sets the wheels in motion for more family turmoil as Emilie is misguided and deceived by the Bishop Edvard Vergerus, a harsh and cruel man who proceeds to drain the life from the entire Ekdahl family.
The film is presented in two versions; the theatrical version which is considerably shorter, and the extended directors cut which is almost five hours in length. The extended version is definitely the way to go if you have the time to devote to it (I usually watch it in two sittings over the course of a weekend) for it fleshes out the entire situation from each end of the family tree so vividly. The first hour alone contains a mere holiday dinner but that hour is so rich with character development that I am utterly engrossed in every word spoken.
The script is marvelously crafted to absorb the viewer and string them along effortlessly, keeping them baiting their breath for the next revelation.
The acting is also superb. Bergman's direction receives a lot of praise (and he was noticed by Oscar with a directing nomination) and it is his mighty hand that brings forth a slew of dynamic performances.
My favorite performance in the bunch comes from Ewa Froling who plays Emilie, the desperate widow. Her tenderness and genuine caring for her children and family is so beautifully rendered onto the screen; as is her emotional turmoil as her world is turned upside down by her domineering new husband. Pivotal to her emotional unraveling is the portrayal of Edvard, and Jan Malmsjo is flawless in the role. He generates this insincere kindness that crawls beneath the audience's skin, allowing them to notice the character flaws Emilie's desperation blinds her to. Jarl Kulle received much attention for his portrayal of Gustav Adolf, the eldest Ekdahl brother, and his performance becomes more and more refined and necessary as the film draws to a close. Allan Edwall is wonderfully paternal as the doomed Oscar and Borje Ahlstedt does a fine job of portraying the troubled Ekdahl brother Carl.
And then we have Pernilla Allwin and Bertil Guve who take on the title roles of Fanny and Alexander. Truth be told, they don't have a lot to do within the film (although Guve has some fantastic scenes as Alexander) and I found myself upon my first viewing wondering why the film bore their names when as a whole the film seems more interested with the lives of those around them. Upon repeat viewings though it becomes obvious that these two children serve as the moral crux for the entire film, and that without their influence and presence nothing would have much meaning. It is within their childish interpretations and fantasies that `Fanny och Alexander' comes to life, expressing with beauty and pristine serenity the effects of actions on the part of adult parties on the children in their lives.
Performance wise Allwin is almost non-existent, but Guve is wonderful in the scenes he is given.
In the end I must confess a certain love affair I am having with this film at the moment (I've watched it twice this past month and am aching to watch it again already). It is truly an outstanding achievement in filmmaking and serves as one of the strongest testaments to the brilliance that was Ingmar Bergman. |
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Childhood impressions that shape us |
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I saw this film decades ago and it was refreshing to see it again. It is Ingmar Bergman's film that closely reflects parts of his own upbringing. We observe an extended family thru the eyes of two children - Fanny and Alexander who are brother and sister. Their family is large, liberal and well to do. Children are encouraged to read, watch theatre performances and expand their imagination in any way possible. They live leisurely and happy life until their father unexpectedly dies. That event dramatically changes course of events for everyone involved. Children's mother is young, beautiful and vulnerable. She loves her children and in attempt to secure their upbringig and their future, she marries a bishop who after her husband's death served as her confidant. But the marriage is a disaster and all three of them suffer terribly. Alexander is paticularly touched by all events. His sensitivity to the world around him and people living and dead is enhanced. Alexander is also smart, well spoken and determined. For a child his age, he is remarkable and that causes fear, jealousy and want from the people who know him. It is also remarkable to look at the film from the perspective where even the good intentions from people close to us turn out to be ill-fated. And sum of those misfortunes lead to neurosis, depression, unhappines, loneliness and in extreme cases even madness. No matter how much our parents and friends try, we all end up being products of our circumstances and external experiences. I loved the part of the film where one day as Alexandar speaks to the spirit of his deceased father, begs his father to leave them, go to Heaven, speak to God and ask God to stop all the pain and suffering he has been experiencing. The mere spiritual presence of Alexander's father is not enough to make it all go away and have Alexander feel better. The seeming return to "normal" at the end of the movie is almost quietness before the storm starts. We just know that both Alexandar and Fanny are damaged forever. The new generations do bring hope, but all it takes is a little bit of a bad (external) chemistry to make it all disappear too quickly. Film reminds us that we are all so fragile, that life is short and that many things that happen in life are shaping us without mercy even when we are just a bystanders on the path of destiny. |
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Paganism Vs. Puritanism |
A qualified masterpiece, Ingmar Bergman's late work `Fanny and Alexander,' makes another strong emotional appeal with nearly every scene he shot. Perhaps spoiled by his greatest works `Through a Glass Darkly,' `The Seventh Seal,' and `Wild Strawberries - Criterion Collection,' it's easy to dock anything less in the Bergman legacy. Nevertheless, clocking in at 3:08, this 1984 Foreign Best Film Oscar winner could have been tightened up and not so tedious in places.
The film is not merely autobiographical, it is a study in contrast. The film begins with the wealthy Eckdahl family celebrating the holiday season. There are stories, readings, feasting, and dancing through the house in a daisy chain. The parents are a part of the theatre, and Christmas brings a holiday show with a cast party brought back to their home. "Generosity, warmth, and kindness," instructs the family patriarch to the servant staff, a consequential force throughout the movie. (Not necessarily like `Gosford Park;' however, for they accentuate the main characters with only a few tales of their own.) Seldom has Christmas been captured so festively on film.
Fanny and Alexander--I'm guessing without much risk that Alexander is Bergman--are the children whose enchanted lives are sorely tested after the death of their father, who appears to have a stroke onstage. (The still scenes leading up before and after his death from the deathbed are laden with Bergman's trademark poignancy.) Once grief has inflicted all the primary family members, Emilie Eckdahl becomes engaged to the (Episcopal? Lutheran?) bishop, and they wed.
As a matter of course, step-parents "often" make the lives of their step-children a trial, even in the best of circumstances and with the best of intentions. Emilie, understandably, wanting to make the vows count, agrees to leave their lush residence and move into the pastor's place, where "purity and austerity," make their mark in every nook and cranny of their new house. From molasses sandwiches and hot chocolate comes a fare with little fanfare, a probable porridge with strict codes of prayer, waking and retiring hours. Corporal punishment rears its ugly head, reminding the viewer of regrettable times past, and looking at the present, a hope for a happy medium. Love is "strong and hard" in the pastor's house. Even his sister, Henrietta, raises her ugly head and tries to force her rearing methods upon the children.
Bergman gives his splendidly shot sojourn a summation of his entire body of work. Themes such as death and life, mortality and reverie, sex and death, and both sides of belief in God, read like Bergman's greatest hits. He also touches upon evil as it been unleashed upon the world contrasted with the resolution, "Let us be happy while we can be happy." Carpe diem once again tries to win overall as it is contrasted with "insomnia, poverty, and humiliation," with some depressing foil characters. His still camera contrasts of steam rising from snowy streams and sorrow as it comes in a spring downpour are wonderfully Bergman's.
As eloquent as his late film is, even qualifiers still point to the consequences of life itself. Never forgetting the pastor step-father, Alexander and Bergman leave us a movie with lingering regrets that some people do God a great PR disservice. |
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Magical realism meets Dickens |
"Fanny and Alexander" just may be my very favorite Bergman film (but, admittedly, this should be taken with a grain of salt, since nearly every one of his films I rewatch becomes my "favorite" for a while!). It has a gentle, sweet quality about it that makes the viewer come to love the characters involved, to feel a genuine part of the large Ekdahl clan and to celebrate each of them with affection and forebearance: womanizing Gustav Adolf; poor, insecure Carl (not to mention his long-suffering German wife); Helena the vivacious and wise family matriarch; Oscar, the sad-eyed ghost father; and Emilie, his desperately lonely wife who out of desperation marries a stern Lutheran bishop and drags Fanny and Alexander with her. And then there's Uncle Isak, masterfully played by Erland Josephson of "Scenes from a Marriage," Helena's long-time lover and the rescuer of Emilie and the kids, and Bishop Edvard, played by show-stealer Jan Malmsjo (also from "Scenes"), who is blighted by his religion and blights others with it--and yet isn't a one-dimensional villain, either.
Watching "Fanny and Alexander," one is impressed by how Bergman has managed to combine all the delightful sentimentality of a Dickens novel with wonderful elements that can only be described as magical realism: the strange and haunting encounter between Alexander and Ismael Retzinsky that has some mysterious causal connection with the Bishop's fiery death and Emilie's liberation. I'm not entirely sure why Bergman includes this, since it seems so out of character for a director who normally rejects such things. But it works. (Perhaps it's all an elaborate Bergmanian joke, since in the same scene we're also introduced to God as a grand and blustery puppet.)
At the end of the film, though, Bergmanian wisdom resurfaces. In as good an encapsulation of what the mature Bergman has to say as one's likely to hear, Gustav Adolf delivers a toast to the reunited family. There's a big world out there, he says (echoing a toast delivered at the film's beginning by Oscar), but we live only in our own little one. We recognize that out there is the abyss, and that one day we'll fall into it. There's nothing to be done about that. So in the meantime, let us accept our little world subterfuges. Let us be happy, kind, generous, and take pleasure in one another, in our little world, even as we know that it is in part illusory. Let us enjoy, while we can, good meals, fruit, and waltzes. Let us embrace living while we live.
Good advice. |
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