The Virgin Spring
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| The Virgin Spring | |
 original movie poster |
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| Directed by | Ingmar Bergman |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Ingmar Bergman Allan Ekelund |
| Written by | Ulla Isaksson |
| Starring | Max von Sydow Birgitta Valberg Gunnel Lindblom Birgitta Pettersson |
| Music by | Erik Nordgren |
| Cinematography | Sven Nykvist |
| Editing by | Oscar Rosander |
| Distributed by | Janus Films |
| Release date(s) | February 8, 1960  November 14, 1960  |
| Running time | 89 mins. |
| Country |  Sweden |
| Language | Swedish |
The Virgin Spring (Swedish: Jungfrukällan) is a 1960 Swedish film directed by Ingmar Bergman. Set in medieval Sweden, it is a revenge tale about a father's merciless response to the murder of his daughter. The story is based on a 13th century Swedish ballad named "Töres dotter i Wänge" which was adapted by screenwriter Ulla Isaksson. The film contains a number of themes that question morals, justice, and religious beliefs, and was considered controversial when first released due to its infamous rape scene. The film won an Academy Award for best Foreign Language Film at the 1961 Academy Awards.
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[edit] Synopsis
The Virgin Spring tells the story, set in medieval Sweden, of a prosperous Christian whose daughter, Karin (Birgitta Pettersson) is appointed to bring candles to the church. Karin is accompanied by her pregnant foster sister, Ingeri (Gunnel Lindblom), who secretly worships the Norse deity Odin. Along their way through the forest on horseback, the two part, and Karin sets out on her own.
Ingeri encounters a one-eyed man at a stream-side mill, converses briefly with him, and then flees in terror. Karin meets three herdsmen (two men and a boy), and invites them to eat her lunch with her. Eventually, the two older men rape and murder Karin (while her sister Ingeri watches from a hidden distance). The trio then leave the scene with Karin's clothing.
The herders then, unknowingly, seek shelter at the home of the murdered girl. Her parents, played by Max von Sydow and Birgitta Valberg, discover that the goat herders murdered their missing daughter when the goat herders offer to sell Karin's clothes to her mother. In a rage, the father locks the trio in the chamber and kills them.
The next day, the parents set out to find their daughter's body, with the help of Ingeri. Her father vows that, although he cannot understand God, he will build a church at the site of his daughter's death. As her parents lift her head from the ground, a spring begins to flow from where she was lying. Her sister Ingeri then begins to wash herself with the water, and Karin's parents clean her muddied face.
[edit] Cast
- Max von Sydow - Töre
- Birgitta Valberg - Märeta
- Gunnel Lindblom - Ingeri
- Birgitta Pettersson - Karin
- Axel Düberg - Thin Herdsman
- Tor Isedal - Mute Herdsman
- Allan Edwall - Beggar
- Ove Porath - Boy
- Axel Slangus - Bridge Keeper
- Gudrun Brost - Frida
- Oscar Ljung - Simon
[edit] Awards and nominations
The Virgin Spring won the following awards:
- Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1961[1]
- A Special Mention for Ingmar Bergman in the Cannes Film Festival 1960
- Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film-1961 (tie with La Vérité)
- Kinema Junpo Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Foreign Film Director (Ingmar Bergman)-1962
It was also nominated for the following categories:
- Golden Palm at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival[2]
- Best Costume Design, Black & White- 1961 Academy Awards
[edit] Themes
The Virgin Spring contains a variety of themes (many of them focusing on the religious aspects of the film), including christianity, Paganism, vengeance, the occult, questioning of religious faith, sexual innocence, justice, and the nature of evil. The film poses many moral questions to its audience, primarily concerning the revenge enacted by the parents of Karin, and whether or not it was justified, or plain, savage murder. Threads of nihilism also run within the film, primarily displayed in the lack of human sympathy that is found in the herdsmen, and their unashamed rape, abuse, and ultimate murder of an innocent young girl. The story of The Three Living and the Three Dead, to which the film is indebted, was very common in the Middle Ages, and formed the basis for many texts and images, including the Dance of Death, and Geoffrey Chaucer's 'Pardoner's Tale'.
The ending of the film focuses on redemption within the story, in which Karin's father, Töre, pleads to God for forgiveness for his vengeful actions, subsequently proclaiming he will build a church on the site of his daughter's murder. He also remarks his confusion toward God for the events that have unfolded over the past day, and asks why God would allow such horrendous things to happen to His people.
[edit] Controversy
Fort Worth, Texas banned showings of the movie because of the rape scene, Janus Films v. City of Fort Worth, 354 S.W.2d 597 (1962), and the Texas Supreme Court upheld that ban, 358 S.W.2d 589 (Tex. 1962).
[edit] DVD release
The Virgin Spring was released in the Criterion Collection on January 26, 2006, and was the 321st entry into the Criterion series. The film was completely re-mastered with a high definition transfer that was approved by director Ingmar Bergman. Bonus materials included:
- an audio commentary with Ingmar Bergman scholar Birgitta Steene
- an introduction by filmmaker Ang Lee
- video interviews with Gunnel Lindblom and Birgita Pettersson
- a recording of the 1975 American Film Institute seminar by Ingmar Bergman
- and a 28-page booklet featuring essays concerning the film.
The bonus features included on the disc were also approved by director Bergman.
[edit] References
- ^ IMDB.com - The Virgin Spring awards
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: The Virgin Spring". festival-cannes.com. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/3334/year/1960.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-15.
[edit] See also
- Middle Ages in film
- The Last House on the Left is a 1972 horror film (remade in 2009) written and directed by Wes Craven, the story of which closely follows The Virgin Spring.
- Falconer, a Swedish power metal band, performs a song 'Per Tyrssons Döttrar I Vänge' which is based on the old ballad which forms the basis of The Virgin Spring.
[edit] External links
- The Virgin Spring at the Internet Movie Database
- The Virgin Spring at Allmovie
- Criterion Collection essay by Peter Cowie
- Per Tyrssons döttrar , also known as Herr Töres' döttrar - a version of the old ballad, in Swedish
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Black Orpheus |
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1960 |
Succeeded by Through a Glass Darkly |
| Preceded by Black Orpheus |
Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film 1961 |
Succeeded by Through a Glass Darkly |
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