ALF SJOBERG

Bil’s rating (out of 5):   BB. 

Original title:  Froken Julie

Sweden, 1951.  Sandrews.  Screenplay by Alf Sjoberg, based on the play by August Strindberg.  Cinematography by Goran Strindberg.  Produced by Rune Waldekranz.  Music by Dag Wiren.  Production Design by Bibi Lindstrom.  Film Editing by Lennart Wallen.  

Dull version of August Strindberg’s famous, tragic play. Anita Björk is excellent as the self-destructive heiress who has broken off her engagement to a man she doesn’t love and finds romance with one of her servants. She would like to escape with him to another country where their upstairs-downstairs affair could be free of social constraints, but her constant sorrow and paranoia seem an imminent prevention to this solution. A movie of this sort, particularly from a Strindberg play, couldn’t possibly expect to be much fun, but the turgid drama is flat and doesn’t offer the kind of tragedy that Ingmar Bergman movies usually feature (after all, didn’t Bergman make staying up all night and rehashing life’s miseries into a sort of party game?) Features a supporting performance by Swedish superstar Max von Sydow and an early appearance by Bibi Andersson.

The Criterion Collection:  #416

Berlin Film Festival: In Competition

Cannes Film Festival Award:  Grand Prize (tie)