Tystnaden (1963)

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Writer:

Ingmar Bergman (writer)

Release Date:

3 February 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

"The Silence" is about the emotional distance between two sisters. The younger one is still attractive enough to pick up a lover in a strange city...

Plot Keywords:

Smoking | Heat Wave | Terminal Illness | Aunt Nephew Relationship | Female Masturbation

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Ingrid Thulin	...	Ester
Gunnel Lindblom	...	Anna
Birger Malmsten	...	The Bartender
Håkan Jahnberg	...	The Waiter
Jörgen Lindström	...	Johan
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lissi Alandh	...	Woman in variety hall (uncredited)
Karl-Arne Bergman	...	The paper boy (uncredited)
Leif Forstenberg	...	Man in variety hall (uncredited)
Eduardo Gutiérrez	...	Impressario (uncredited)
Eskil Kalling	...	The bar owner (uncredited)
Birger Lensander	...	The Doorkeeper (uncredited)
Kristina Olausson	...	Anna (uncredited)
Nils Waldt	...	The Cashier (uncredited)
Olof Widgren	...	The Old Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Ingmar Bergman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ingmar Bergman		writer

Produced by
Allan Ekelund	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Ivan Renliden		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Ulla Ryghe

Production Design by
P.A. Lundgren

Costume Design by
Marik Vos-Lundh		(as Marik Vos)
Bertha Sånnell		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Börje Lundh	....	makeup artist
Gullan Westfelt	....	assistant makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lenn Hjortzberg	....	assistant director
Lars-Erik Liedholm	....	assistant director

Art Department
Karl-Arne Bergman	....	property master (as Karl Arne Bergman)

Sound Department
Stig Flodin	....	sound
Olle Jacobsson	....	sound mixer (as Olle Jakobsson)
Bo Leverén	....	sound
Tage Sjöberg	....	sound

Special Effects by
Evald Andersson	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Rolf Holmquist	....	assistant camera (as Rolf Holmqvist)
Harry Kampf	....	still photographer
Peter Wester	....	assistant camera
Gerhard Carlsson	....	electrician (uncredited)

Other crew
Lars-Owe Carlberg	....	location manager
Katinka Faragó	....	script supervisor (as Katherina Faragó)

Production Companies

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Distributors

• Criterion Collection, The (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (????) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Gutek Film (2007) (Poland) (all media)
• Janus Films (1964) (USA) (subtitled)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• atlas Film (1964) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

The Silence (USA)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish | English | German | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (AGA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1964) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2004) | West Germany:16 (f) (re-rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1965) | West Germany:18 (f) (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1963) | France:-12 | Argentina:16 | Norway:16 (cut) | Norway:18 (1970) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Svensk Filmindustri, Filmstaden, Råsunda, Stockholms län, Sweden

Company:

Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Trivia:

The controversy the film acquired for being sexually explicit resulted in a much larger audience than most Bergman pictures. When Bergman realized this, he commented that it had attracted the most unwanted viewers of any of his pictures.

Quotes:

Ester: Erectile tissue... it's all a matter of swollen tissue and secretion; a confession before extreme unction. Semen smells nasty to me. I've a very keen sense of smell and I stank like rotten fish when I was fertilized.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

THE GOLDBERG VARIATIONS

Amazing, but not entertaining

I am neither an expert on Bergman, nor on film, so I refer you to the many thoughtful reviews others have written; but reconsider the comments that "nothing happens in this film." Yes, it does seem much longer than 95 minutes, but only because it is so dense, because so much happens. Each look, each word carries emotions and meanings that require interpretation and re-interpretation. This is not a fun movie. We watch a woman die--slowly--and her relationship with her sister fester. Whatever the women try to say, they seem not to be able to say what they mean, or not to be able to mean anything. The son/nephew meanwhile wanders the halls of their hotel alone, somehow beyond or below any communication. There is indeed little action, aside from the sexual forays that serve to exacerbate rather than relieve the tension.

This is a desolate film, and no redemption from the loneliness of death and individuality may be possible other than the consciousness of the beauty of that desolation. But it is beautiful.