Cenas de um Casamento Sueco

... or at least until one of us has had enough, although that will more than likely be reciprocated. There's a good chance you'll recognise a lot of the characteristics, dialogue and awkwardness on show here although everybody's story is different, but it's the craft of the actors moulding the directors words and wisdom that creates a near perfect marriage made in heaven - as so many of Ingmar Bergman's films do, and as such, you'll struggle to divorce your eyes and ears from the conversation, your mind and memory from reflection.

I saw Scenes of a marriage recently and have never stopped thinking about it since. The way it deals with the relationship story revolving around divorce is masterful. This unlike marriage story (similar type) isn't sad or emotional, this is depressing and it's beauty lies in the dialogues. The realistic take on love and relationships is never easy but this despite having a foreign language absorbed me in a way I hadn't imagined.

The camera work is really nice and the close-up shots made the film feel less like a movie and more like a scene happening in front of you.

I was really hyped for the latest hbo show which is a remakes of this but now after watching this, I don't think it will be as good as this, maybe an American style will be different but this is otherwordly.

Bergman's true essence lies in a deep study of the human condition which was very clear from Winter Light (my first Bergman) and his films are known to be depressing and leave a deep impact on the viewer and this is exactly what this did.

Both the characters were brilliantly written and how they react to their circumstances was really outstanding. The pacing is handled really well it just doesn't feel like a 3 hour long story about a couple talking.

After watching this, I could see how much of an inspiration it has served to some of my favourite movies of the same type.

Before Midnight took a realistic turn by escaping from the fantasised romance, Marriage story was also inspired from this and I am glad that I finally saw this movie.

The acting also was flawless by both the leads and it surely needs masterclass to portray such complex characters.

Originally a miniseries, it was edited down to 169 minutes. It concerns itself with Liv Ullman, a divorce lawyer, and academician Erland Josephson. Over the course of ten years their marriage breaks down. Written by director Ingmar Bergman in a reported three months, it was shot quickly; cinematographer Sven Nykvist later stated that, given its later theatrical release, he would have liked more moving shots. Given the short schedule and tiny budget, that seems impossible in retrospect. As it is, the transfer from videotape to film gives it an inconsistent look, even within individual scenes; that seems to contribute to its intimacy and subjectiveness.

I think the lack of rehearsal, and the central roles being played by two Bergman regulars give the performances a freshness and lack of polish that contribute to the truth of the movie. These are two people who change, hesitantly and unwillingly, in the throes of overwhelming emotions. The lack of polish, the enormous emotional shifts with scenes give it a documentary feel, even as the characters talk almost endlessly.

Unlike Bergman's earlier works, which are often theological musings on why G*d doesn't give us more directions, this shows two people trying to make their way in a world where G*d, if he exists, is irrelevant. It's a search for meaning without any hope of objective guide, of people trying to snatch some happiness desperately, in a existential world. It offers no grand messages, no singular route to happiness for all of humanity, just for two individuals.

"Scenes from a Marriage" (1974) directed by Ingmar Bergman is yet another of his numerous masterpieces, having directed more than 40 feature films in his career.

The film follows two characters, Marianne and Johan, and in typical Bergman style, he examines ontological questions of love, loneliness, being and what it means to be 'fulfilled' through the two protagonists. As with all of Bergman's films, 'Scenes From a Marriage' is not simply a plot narrative, in this case about a married couple and their 'ups and downs'. Rather, with his usual finesse and intellect, Bergman successfully probes into what it means and feels like to need the love, security, and validation of another person and the consequences of life-changing decisions that can happen in a marriage.

"Scenes from a Marriage" is a seminal masterpiece from one of the greatest directors in film history, and on par with many of his other films, and in my opinion only bested by two of his films "Winter Light" (1963) and "Persona" (1966).

Out of all of Ingmar Bergman's movies I've watched, this one's probably my least favorite, although I do think that it is a very good movie.

It has all the qualities of a great Bergman film, but I just felt that the story was too mundane to be succesfully carried by Bergman's slow, dialogue heavy style for such a long runtime.

It's still really good though, and Liv Ullmann's performance alone makes it more than worth watching.