Le rite

While on tour in a European country, the actors Hans Winkelmann (Gunnar Björnstrand), his wife Thea Winkelmann (Ingrid Thulin) and his best friend Sebastian Fisher (Anders Ek) are charged of obscenities and sent to court. While interviewing the trio individually in his office, Judge Dr. Abrahamson (Erik Hell) challenges and discloses the feelings and troubles of the unstable personality of each one of them: Sebastian is an aggressive man with drinking problem and lover of Thea; Hans is a controlled wealthy man and leader of the company; and Thea is a fragile and vulnerable woman with mental disturbance. The judge pushes the emotions of the dysfunctional troupe to the edge and they propose a private exhibition of their play The Rite for his evaluation where the judge finds more than eroticism and obscenities.

I am a great fan of Ingmar Bergman, my director number one ever, I have already seen most of his movies, but "Riten" is not among my favorite ones. The claustrophobic and theatrical drama with actors playing actors is extremely well acted but is too experimental and Kafkaesque for my taste. Of course I recommend to any cinema lover to watch this film (I have seen it twice); but be prepared to see a very hermetic story without explanation for the final impressive sequence, open to the most different interpretations. I believe the greatest problem with me is that I have watched "Riten" out of the chronology of Bergman's filmography, since the DVD has been released only a couple of months ago in Brazil. In the future, I have the intention to see the movies of Bergman again in chronological sequence to try to follow and understand a little bit more his brilliant mind. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Rito" ("The Rite")

An intriguing sexually explicit and frank film about a number of different things, ranging from anti-censorship sentiments to neuroses, it is well directed by Ingmar Bergman, shot from interesting angles and making good use of close-ups, but still it is far off the level of Bergman's best work. The ideas are a bit all over the place and the film is too talkative for it to have much chance of establishing atmosphere. The events of the final ten or so minutes are contrived too, particularly concerning the main character. Either way, it makes an interesting enough watch, and if not for its cinematic virtues, at least for giving an idea of the very adult stuff allowed on Swedish television in 1969! Worthwhile for Bergman fans; others might want to try out a few of his other films before giving this a go.

Rite, The (1969)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

A judge (Erik Hell) asks three actors (Gunnar Bjornstrand, Anders Ek, Ingrid Thulin) to enter his chamber for individual questioning so he can determine whether their performance is obscene or not. While the play their acting in is the main reason for questioning, the three actors as well as the judge have other issues to deal with as well. This was the first film Ingmar Bergman made for television and I really wasn't expecting too much and was honestly shocked at how well the film worked considering there's no real story to deal with. The dialogue is wonderfully written and Bergman's bleak direction builds a nice little atmosphere. The rest of it is up to the four actors who all deliver very good performances. Bergman even appears in one scene playing a Priest. It's also rather funny to see what could be shown on Swedish television back in 1969. There's no way in hell this thing could play in America today let alone way back then.

... when all the world's a stage, performances established by surroundings in a cage, whose screens and makeup mask the cells of who we really are, unless threatened by authority and we leave the door ajar.

Make of it what you will, especially the end, somethings you might distil, before it takes you round a bend.

Coming in at 72 minutes, and with notable Bergman stalwarts Gunnar Bjornstrand, Anders Ek, and Ingrid Thulin, this made for TV conjuring will leave you scratching your chin and raising your eyebrows as bizarre events unfold and you wonder what on earth is going on. Suffice to say the imagination from the master director will once again have you as confused as ever, but the acting is outstanding.

Imagine that, in 1969, on BBC2, say, an experimental 'Play for Today' was featured, involving various acts of a drama that revolved around three very different actors who are interviewed very rigorously by a 'judge'.

There are various accusations highlighted and all become, or are, squirmingly intrusive, with many very personal subjects being quite explicitly examined. Add a documentary feeling use of static interview room/single set location and with uncomfortably close close-ups, in a rather unflattering greyish sort of black and white.

Considering these 'crimes' border on the uglier emotions and typically Bergman, the dialogue crackles with poetic starkness and honesty, then the Mary Whitehouse brigade of the day would have had a field day. My reference to this, is because The Rite was a drama made for Swedish TV, directed by Bergman and featuring some typically gritty and honest acting. I bet that the TV audience there would have been receptive and revelled in its clever psychotherapy and fascinating insight into human persona. Us Brits would only have seen the 'grubby' bits and blown them out of all proportion.

Whilst this 72minute drama looks odd and dated now - and the few other reviews around almost dismiss this work accordingly, it now comes out as a fascinating but intense montage of human condition and behaviour.