{"id":82804,"date":"2022-04-11T21:57:01","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T04:57:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=82804"},"modified":"2022-04-11T21:57:01","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T04:57:01","slug":"virgin-spring-the-1960","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=82804","title":{"rendered":"Virgin Spring, The (1960)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;A day can start out beautifully, yet end with misery.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Poster-198x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-82805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Poster-198x300.png 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Poster-85x128.png 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Poster-179x270.png 179w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Poster.png 547w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nIn medieval Sweden, a father (Max von Sydow) and mother (Birgitta Valberg) seek revenge on the goatherds (Axel D\u00fcberg and Tor Iseda) who raped and killed their virginal daughter (Birgitta Pettersson) while their pregnant servant (Gunnel Lindblom) watched in horror.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historical Drama<\/li>\n<li>Ingmar Bergman Films<\/li>\n<li>Max von Sydow Films<\/li>\n<li>Rape<\/li>\n<li>Revenge<\/li>\n<li>Scandinavian Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis adaptation of a 13th century Swedish ballad entitled <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/T%C3%B6res_d%C3%B6ttrar_i_W%C3%A4nge\">&#8220;Per Tyrsson&#8217;s daughters in V\u00e4nge&#8221;<\/a> &#8212; directed by Ingmar Bergman and scripted by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ulla_Isaksson\">Ulla Isaksson<\/a> &#8212; won an Academy Award as Best Foreign Film of the Year. Isaksson was tasked with ensuring this story came across as more historically accurate than Bergman&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=48778\"><em>The Seventh Seal<\/em> (1957)<\/a>, and the result is that we feel we&#8217;ve been deposited into an entirely different world (albeit one crafted for the screen). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Last-Supper.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Last-Supper.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"913\" height=\"659\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82926\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Last-Supper.png 913w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Last-Supper-300x217.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Last-Supper-128x92.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Last-Supper-768x554.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Last-Supper-374x270.png 374w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 913px) 100vw, 913px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>The storyline is a dark tale of violence, revenge, and religion, with a rape scene so graphic (for the time) that it was subject to censorship in the U.S. (For better or for worse, this film was purportedly the inspiration for Wes Craven&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=69459\"><em>The Last House on the Left<\/em><\/a>.) As the movie opens, we&#8217;re introduced to a fearful pregnant girl (Lindblom) praying to Odin:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Praying-Odin.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Praying-Odin.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"907\" height=\"659\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82927\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Praying-Odin.png 907w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Praying-Odin-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Praying-Odin-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Praying-Odin-768x558.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Praying-Odin-372x270.png 372w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 907px) 100vw, 907px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Lindblom&#8217;s &#8220;impure&#8221;, dark-haired Ingeri is posited as a clear contrast to the innocence of the spoiled young blonde mistress of the house, Karin (Pettersson), whose hyper-religious mother (Valberg) can&#8217;t resist giving into the whims of her daughter. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Daughter.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Daughter.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"891\" height=\"665\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82928\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Daughter.png 891w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Daughter-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Daughter-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Daughter-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Daughter-362x270.png 362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 891px) 100vw, 891px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Bergman presents us with an idyllically pastoral vision of life before tragedy strikes, as Pettersson is sent out on a beautiful day for a horseback trip to the local church to bring candles, accompanied by Lindblom. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Riding.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Riding.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"901\" height=\"663\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82929\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Riding.png 901w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Riding-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Riding-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Riding-768x565.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Riding-367x270.png 367w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 901px) 100vw, 901px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Her naive interactions and picnic with wily D\u00fcberg, mute Iseda, and their traumatized younger brother (Ove Porath) showcase her truly child-like innocence: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Hands.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Hands.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"899\" height=\"671\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82923\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Hands.png 899w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Hands-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Hands-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Hands-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Hands-362x270.png 362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 899px) 100vw, 899px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; before her fatal violation. <\/p>\n<p>SPOILERS <\/p>\n<p>The next phase of the story shifts to the three brothers visiting von Sydow and Valberg&#8217;s house, not knowing that the fancy clothing they stole off of Pettersson&#8217;s corpse and are trying to pawn for money instantly gives away their crime. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Dress.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Dress.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"891\" height=\"661\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82931\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Dress.png 891w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Dress-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Dress-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Dress-768x570.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Dress-364x270.png 364w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 891px) 100vw, 891px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Von Sydow and Valberg&#8217;s shift to vengeance is swift and merciless &#8212; but it&#8217;s impossible to fault them, given what we&#8217;ve seen happening to their family. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Throne.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Throne.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"897\" height=\"661\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Throne.png 897w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Throne-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Throne-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Throne-768x566.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Throne-366x270.png 366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 897px) 100vw, 897px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The film&#8217;s closing sequence &#8212; in which a &#8220;miraculous&#8221; spring emerges from where Pettersson&#8217;s body lies (per the original ballad) &#8212; brings us full circle to some kind of earthly yet spiritual closure. While this brutal film is not for the faint of heart, it&#8217;s beautifully shot and will likely linger in your memory. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Highly atmospheric cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Fists.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Fists.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"649\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-82924\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Fists.png 995w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Fists-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Fists-128x83.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Fists-768x501.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Virgin-Spring-Fists-414x270.png 414w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as an early masterpiece by Bergman. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Foreign Gem<\/li>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0053976\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1960\/11\/15\/archives\/the-screen-ingmar-bergmans-study-in-brutalitythe-virgin-spring-in.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.criterion.com\/current\/posts\/410-the-virgin-spring-bergman-in-transition\">Criterion Essay <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/94854\/the-virgin-spring#articles-reviews?articleId=337165\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/reviews\/19924\/virgin-spring-the\/\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;A day can start out beautifully, yet end with misery.&#8221; Synopsis: In medieval Sweden, a father (Max von Sydow) and mother (Birgitta Valberg) seek revenge on the goatherds (Axel D\u00fcberg and Tor Iseda) who raped and killed their virginal daughter (Birgitta Pettersson) while their pregnant servant (Gunnel Lindblom) watched in horror. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Historical Drama Ingmar Bergman Films Max von Sydow Films Rape Revenge Scandinavian Films Review: This adaptation of a 13th century Swedish ballad entitled &#8220;Per&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=82804\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=82804"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82804\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82937,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82804\/revisions\/82937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=82804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=82804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=82804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}