Quand la chair est faible

JUNE NIGHT / Sweden 1940 (2.5 STARS) 16 December 2003: Through the divine Ingrid Bergman is at her prettiest best (we can see why she was lured away to Hollywood very soon after this her last film in Sweden), I could not understand her character's motivations in this film. . Mise-en-scene: The film starts dramatically with a shoot-out and the rehabilitation that follows. There is intensity in the character's motivations and her crisis is real. I was amazed at how modern Stockholm was way back in 1940. . The Stockholm community, though lovable has been created more with an eye to theatrical platitudes than to portray real people. Despite this we enjoy their little shenanigans and feel for their individual wants. But by the time we get to the end, we no longer feel the connect with any of the lead characters. It is not so much the fact that we despise Bergman's character for the choices she make as it is a lack of the director's ability to build a real person with real motivations - good or bad. . Cinematography, Editing & Sound: In contrast with Casablanca made only two years later, the technical finesse is lacking and the sound and editing look more rookie, though none of that stopped me from wondering at how modern Swedish cinematic language was at that time when few other nations were ready to experiment with morality quite in the same way as were the Swedish, way back in the 1930s.

Ingrid Bergman shines in her last Swedish film before leaving for Hollywood. Several of her Swedish films of the 30s were remade in Hollywood, one with Leslie Howard including herself, and you can understand how she became that iconic star of Hollywood of lasting prominence. Here she is an ordinary girl tiring of her humdrum life in a small northern Swedish town, having an adventure with a sailor that ends in disaster, as he in a passionate fit of jealousy trying to shoot himself instead shoots her, missing her heart by an inch. She recovers and starts a new life in Stockholm, which seems to go off well with a changed name, but a sensationalist reporter finds her out while at the same time that sailor comes back hunting her, causing her fresh heart wounds. The character she makes is fascinating, shy and adventurous at the same time, being afraid of people but not able to do without them, and so the crises pile up. It is a charming and underrated pre-Bergman film of immense environmental value, the moods remain idyllic although the action changes to Stockholm, and the use of Beethoven's "An Elise" as musical theme of this romantic love episode is quite felicitous. There are many eloquent details of the film, the actors are all perfect, so there is really nothing wanting in this very intimate and rewarding film.

"June Night" has a delicate, lyrical quality that tempers its melodramatic premise. A pre-Hollywood Ingrid Bergman shines as the troubled femme fatale Sara, making it easy to understand why men can't resist her. A compelling story, fine acting, and beautiful cinematography make "June Night" well worth seeing-- and it's got to have one of the loveliest endings in film history!

June Night (1940) is an amazingly sensuous movie at times. Evidently behaviour, public morals, were changing, and the transition was a bumpy business for all, young and old, eager and able vs past-it and grouchy.

Bergman plays Kerstin, a provincial young woman who is shot by a jealous lover. She survives but is treated so shabbily in court that one almost wants to laugh, it feels so different from what you'd imagine would happen today (but then what do I know, maybe Sweden hasn't changed so much?). She tries to start again in Stockholm under a new name, but a woman as fascinating and alluring as Kerstin can't avoid attention, suspicion, jealousy, being misunderstood. It's only a matter of time before something else happens, right?

It's striking how temperamental everyone else, how impulsive, how childlike in their emotional outbursts. The movie reminds one of the glamour imparted by the chiaroscuro of black and white photography. Oh you see so many examples now, online, of colorised b/w movies, thoughtlessly achieved by a generation obsessed with technology and achieving hits, and utterly blind to aesthetics or good taste. Remind yourself of what has been lost by seeing this film.

The scene between Olof Widgren and Ingrid Bergman is one of such tantalising mutual attraction that you virtually will their lips to come together in a kiss. The June night of the title is presumably Midsummer, the night when everyone goes a little crazy, or so it seems. Decisions are made and must be faced up to when the sun comes up. Feelings are destined to be hurt.

One could take issue with the plausibility of someone surviving a bullet to the chest, or the strange old man boring on about the Saturnalia, or the abrupt ending (devoid of melodrama), but I'd say there's a realistic emotional truth to the story, and of course one cannot take one's eyes off Bergman. She could be one of Dostoevsky's heroines, fragile, glacial, determined, seductive and cruel, all within minutes of each other. It feels almost like this film was a springboard for both of them, the actress and her character.

A midsummer night's predicament then.

Recommended.

Sometimes I wonder what critics and movigoers think first whenever Ingrid Bergman comes up on screen. Is it we think about her beauty first then talent or is it vice versa. Watch the last 15 minutes of the film and you'll know what I am talking about. I dont think even those close ups of her Casablanca or Notorious can top that. Whenever the lights on that face we can help but lost in the image.

The movie itself wasn't so good. Very slow and I was almost dozed off myself. I found myself pity with the Asa character, she was caring, selfless, unselfish and good-hearted. The lead actor was quite handsome and charming. I dont like the ending. Abrupt and unrealistic. Would you run off with someone you know less than 24 hours? I dont know, this is Ingrid Bergman we're talking about.