Wild Strawberries
Release date: 1957-08-28
Votes: 1692
Genres: Drama
Crotchety retired doctor Isak Borg travels from Stockholm to Lund, Sweden, with his pregnant and unhappy daughter-in-law, Marianne, in order to receive an honorary degree from his alma mater. Along the way, they encounter a series of hitchhikers, each of whom causes the elderly doctor to muse upon the pleasures and failures of his own life. These include the vivacious young Sara, a dead ringer for the doctor's own first love.
Reviews
Andres Gomez
Bergman talks about the meaning of life and the pass of time. Great cast, that will repeat in several of Bergman's movies and remarkable performances from Ingrid Thulin and Victor Sjöström.
CinemaSerf
There's a great scene near the start of this film that sees an horse-drawn hearse get it's wheel caught between the kerb and a lamp-post. The horses persist in moving forward, the wheel comes off and we have a coffin exposed in the middle of a deserted street. A passer-by approaches the coffin only to find it's occupant still alive - and, worse still, it's him! It's "Dr. Borg" (Victor Sjöström). Is it portentous? Well it made me smile anyway, as does quite a lot of this thought-provoking drama. It centres around this learned man who is to travel to Lund next day to receive a great honour for his services to the medical profession. In the middle of the night, he disturbs his no-nonsense housekeeper "Agda" (a charming effort from Julian Kindahl) announcing plans to drive from Stockholm rather than fly. She's irked and is having none of this nonsense, but she makes his breakfast and packs his case. It's at breakfast that his pregnant daughter-in-law "Marianne" (Ingrid Thulin) decides to invite herself along. En route, it becomes clear that she despises the old man, and her bluntness rather shocks him. He readily admits he's a pedantic old grouch, but somehow this cuts him to the quick. After a stop for some petrol at the garage of "Henrik" (Max Von Sydow), they pick up some hitch-hikers. Firstly, a group of young and enthusiastic people and then a squabbling couple who seem to thrive on being unpleasant to each other. As we travel, the journey and their companions start him reminiscing about his own life, about the mother of his son and about the joys and tragedies of his own life. It's only when he arrives for his ceremony that he begins to reassess his life, his perspectives and his priorities. Sjöström is super here. He really carries off the role in almost "Scrooge"-like fashion. He has taken the emotionally easy way out for much of his life and now finds himself in an unfulfilling cul-de-sac from which it not might be possible to escape. Thulin also delivers well as the deliberately provocative and seemingly unkind woman who spares him none of the knife. There is plenty of humour - dark and mischievous, and we take quite an interesting look at just how toxic introspection can be - at any age. As ever with this director, questions of religiosity and God are never far away, but here they are delivered in a manner than the characters address rather than having us to do that work - and that makes this a far more relaxed, if that word can be used about Ingmar Bergman - and gentle rummage through his theological baggage. The plot is busy and entertaining, and there are plenty of other characters enmeshed in the narrative that give us an opportunity to come up for a breather now and again, and I think this might be one of my favourites from this man.
Movie Recommendation
The Virgin Spring1960-02-08Devout Christians Töre and Märeta send their only daughter, the virginal Karin, and their foster daughter, the unrepentant Ingeri, to deliver candles to a distant church. On their way through the woods, the girls encounter a group of savage goat herders who brutally rape and murder Karin as Ingeri remains hidden. When the killers unwittingly seek refuge in the farmhouse of Töre and Märeta, Töre plots a fitting revenge.More...
Smiles of a Summer Night1955-12-26Early in the 20th century, middle-aged lawyer Fredrik Egerman and his young wife, Anne, have still not consummated their marriage, while Fredrik's son finds himself increasingly attracted to his new stepmother. To make matters worse, Fredrik's old flame Desiree makes a public bet that she can seduce him at a romantic weekend retreat where four couples convene, swapping partners and pairing off in unexpected ways.More...
Fanny and Alexander1982-12-17As children in the loving Ekdahl family, Fanny and Alexander enjoy a happy life with their parents, who run a theater company. After their father dies unexpectedly, however, the siblings end up in a joyless home when their mother, Emilie, marries a stern bishop. The bleak situation gradually grows worse as the bishop becomes more controlling, but dedicated relatives make a valiant attempt to aid Emilie, Fanny and Alexander.More...
Through a Glass Darkly1961-10-16Karin hopes to recover from her recent stay at a mental hospital by spending the summer at her family's cottage on a tiny island. Her husband, Martin, cares for her but is frustrated by her physical withdrawal. Her younger brother, Minus, is confused by Karin's vulnerability and his own budding sexuality. Their father, David, cannot overcome his haughty remoteness. Beset by visions, Karin descends further into madness.More...
The Seventh Seal1957-02-16When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.More...
Persona1966-10-18A young nurse, Alma, is put in charge of Elisabeth Vogler: an actress who is seemingly healthy in all respects, but will not talk. As they spend time together, Alma speaks to Elisabeth constantly, never receiving any answer.More...
Cries and Whispers1972-12-21As Agnes slowly dies of cancer, her sisters are so immersed in their own psychic pains that they are unable to offer her the support she needs.More...
Rashomon1950-08-26Four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.More...
Autumn Sonata1978-10-08After a seven-year absence, Charlotte Andergast travels to Sweden to reunite with her daughter Eva. The pair have a troubled relationship: Charlotte sacrificed the responsibilities of motherhood for a career as a classical pianist. Over an emotional night, the pair reopen the wounds of the past. Charlotte gets another shock when she finds out that her mentally impaired daughter, Helena, is out of the asylum and living with Eva.More...
Winter Light1963-02-11A Swedish pastor fails a loving woman, a suicidal fisherman and God.More...
M1931-05-11In this classic German thriller, Hans Beckert, a serial killer who preys on children, becomes the focus of a massive Berlin police manhunt. Beckert's heinous crimes are so repellant and disruptive to city life that he is even targeted by others in the seedy underworld network. With both cops and criminals in pursuit, the murderer soon realizes that people are on his trail, sending him into a tense, panicked attempt to escape justice.More...
Rifkin’s Festival2020-10-01The story of a married American couple who go to the San Sebastian Film Festival. They get caught up in the magic of the festival, the beauty and charm of Spain and the fantasy of movies. She has an affair with a brilliant French movie director, and he falls in love with a beautiful Spanish woman who lives there.More...
Stroszek1977-05-20Bruno Stroszek is released from prison and warned to stop drinking. He has few skills and fewer expectations: with a glockenspiel and an accordion, he ekes out a living as a street musician. He befriends Eva, a prostitute down on her luck and they join his neighbor, Scheitz, an elderly eccentric, when he leaves Germany to live in Wisconsin.More...
Before Night Falls2000-09-03Spanning several decades, this powerful biopic offers a glimpse into the life of famed Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas, an artist who was vilified for his homosexuality in Fidel Castro's Cuba.More...
The Milky Way1969-02-28Two men, part tramp, part pilgrim, are on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. On their way they meet a whole assortment of people—some truculent, some violent, and some bizarre; they experience many adventures—some mysterious, some erotic, some even supernatural.More...
Shame1968-09-29In the midst of a civil war, former violinists Jan and Eva Rosenberg, who have a tempestuous marriage, run a farm on a rural island. In spite of their best efforts to escape their homeland, the war impinges on every aspect of their lives.More...
Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!2019-09-06Muckraking filmmaker Morgan Spurlock reignites his battle with the food industry — this time from behind the register — as he opens his own fast food restaurant.More...
I Knew Her Well1965-12-01A young woman from the Italian countryside experiences the dark side of the business after she moves to Rome to become a star.More...
Crisis1946-02-25A poor Swedish piano teacher and her foster daughter’s lives are upended when the child’s biological mother arrives in their small town to reclaim her.More...
The Magician1958-12-26Dr. Vogler's, a nineteenth-century traveling mesmerist and peddler of potions, magic is put to the test in Stockholm by the cruel, eminently rational royal medical adviser Dr. Vergérus.More...
Similar Movies
Youth Without Youth
2007-10-26Professor of language and philosophy Dominic Matei is struck by lightning and ages backwards from 70 to 40 in a week, attracting the world and the Nazis. While on the run, the professor meets a young woman who has her own experience with a lightning storm. Not only does Dominic find love again, but her new abilities hold the key to his research.Amarcord
1973-12-18In an Italian seaside town, young Titta gets into trouble with his friends and watches various local eccentrics as they engage in often absurd behavior. Frequently clashing with his stern father and defended by his doting mother, Titta witnesses the actions of a wide range of characters, from his extended family to Fascist loyalists to sensual women, with certain moments shifting into fantastical scenarios.The Kite Runner
2007-12-14After spending years in California, Amir returns to his homeland in Afghanistan to help his old friend Hassan, whose son is in trouble.Offseason
2022-03-11Upon receiving a mysterious letter that her mother's grave has been vandalized, Marie travels to the desolate island town where she's buried. Just as she arrives, the island closes for the season, leaving Marie trapped in a nightmare.The Bucket List
2007-12-25Corporate billionaire Edward Cole and working class mechanic Carter Chambers are worlds apart. At a crossroads in their lives, they share a hospital room and discover they have two things in common: a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted to do and an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are. Together they embark on the road trip of a lifetime, becoming friends along the way and learning to live life to the fullest, with insight and humor.Julia
2008-03-12An alcoholic becomes involved in a fellow A.A. member's plan to kidnap her young son from the boy's wealthy grandfather.The Savages
2007-11-28A sister and brother face the realities of familial responsibility as they begin to care for their ailing father.Poetic Justice
1993-07-23Still grieving after the murder of her boyfriend, hairdresser Justice writes poetry to deal with the pain of her loss. Unable to get to Oakland to attend a convention because of her broken-down car, Justice gets a lift with her friend, Iesha, and Iesha's postal worker boyfriend, Chicago. Along for the ride is Chicago's co-worker, Lucky, to whom Justice grows close after some initial problems. But is she ready to open her heart again?Antibodies
2005-04-24When a notorious German serial killer is captured after committing some of the most heinous acts against humanity ever imaginable, a farmer and police officer from a sleepy rural community on the outskirts of Berlin is drawn into the case as he searches for the answers to a murder that has shaken his tight-knit community.Badland
2007-11-30Jerry (Jamie Draven) was an idealist when he served in the first Gulf War. But when he was later deployed to Iraq, Jerry was an older man, a father of three and embittered by broken promises and unfulfilled desires. When Jerry returns from Iraq he has been transformed by horrors that cannot be forgiven. He lives a life of poverty, his children afraid of him and his wife, Nora (Vinessa Shaw), unsympathetic and unhappy. When Jerry discovers that Nora has betrayed him, his anger and despair drive him to commit an act so heinous and irreversible that nothing he had experienced in combat could have prepared him for.Love Never to End
2007-01-13He is Kikuji Murao (Etsushi Toyokawa), a former best-selling novelist who has had a decade-long dry spell that has reduced him to university teaching and magazine hackery. After divorcing his wife (Reiko Takashima) and leaving behind his teenage daughter (Shihori Kanjiya), he meets Fuyuka Irie (Shinobu Terajima), a housewife and mother of three who is a longtime fan.Germany, Year Zero
1948-12-01In the ruins of post-WWII Berlin, a twelve-year-old boy is left to his own devices in order to help provide for his family.21
2008-03-27Ben Campbell is a young, highly intelligent student at M.I.T. who strives to succeed. Wanting a scholarship to transfer to Harvard School of Medicine to become a doctor, Ben learns that he cannot afford the $300,000 tuition as he comes from a poor, working-class background. But one evening, Ben is introduced by his unorthodox math professor to a small but secretive club of five students, Jill, Choi, Kianna, and Fisher, who are being trained by Professor Rosa to count cards at blackjack.Thunderbolt and Light...
1974-05-23With the help of an irreverent young sidekick, a bank robber gets his old gang back together to organise a daring new heist.When Night Is Falling...
1995-02-01Camille is a professor at a Protestant college and is in a long-term relationship Martin, a respected minister and fellow professor. When Camille meets Petra, a bold and flamboyant performer in a circus troupe, she is inexplicably drawn. Pursuing Petra, Camille throws her whole conservative life into disarray.Volare
2019-10-24The true story of Andrea and Franco Antonello, a father and autistic son who traveled by motorbike for three months between the United States and South America.In the Name of the Fa...
1993-12-12A small-time Belfast thief, Gerry Conlon, is wrongly convicted of an IRA bombing in London, along with his father and friends, and spends 15 years in prison fighting to prove his innocence.Ride or Die
2021-04-15Rei helps the woman she's been in love with for years escape her abusive husband. While on the run, their feelings for each other catch fire.Bringing Out the Dead...
1999-10-22Once called "Father Frank" for his efforts to rescue lives, Frank Pierce sees the ghosts of those he failed to save around every turn. He has tried everything he can to get fired, calling in sick, delaying taking calls where he might have to face one more victim he couldn't help, yet cannot quit the job on his own.Dream
2008-10-09In the aftermath of a car crash, a man discovers his dreams are tied to a stranger's sleepwalking.