NOW ABOUT ALL THESE WOMEN

Sweden, 1964, 80 minutes, Colour.
Bibi Andersson, Harriet Andersson, Eva Dahlbeck, Jarl Kulle, Allan Edwall.
Directed by Ingmar Bergman.

Now About All These Women is a most unusual film – a comedy by Ingmar Bergman and his first in colour. He had just finished his trilogy, the soul-searching and God-searching films: Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Lights, The Silence. After All These Women he was to embark on a number of serious psychological films as well as exploration of war in Persona, Shame, Power of the Wolf.

The film is slight, focusing on a young musician, played by Jarl Kulle (Smiles of a Summer Night as well as the colonel in Babette’s Feast). He is to interview a famous cellist but meets only the women who have been associated with him and who give him all the information and gossip. The comic touch is that he wants to blackmail the cellist into performing a composition that he has done himself.

Critics were not particularly kind to the film – thinking, perhaps, it was a bit below Ingmar Bergman’s dignity. However, it is an opportunity to see what a Swedish and a Bergman sense of humour is like.

1. The overall impression of this film? An Ingmar Bergman film? Its impact, his achievement? Different from expectations from his other films?

2. Bergman's first film in colour and his use of colour, for environment and atmosphere? Decor, artificiality? The importance of music both in its setting and background? As theme for the comedy?

3. What were the characteristics of this comedy? The farce structure and its effectiveness? The formalism of the structure and the style of comedy, the conventions of sex farce, Identities, rooms and coincidences? Audience response to these artificialities for the meaning of the comedy?

4. What was the attitude to life in this film? Life and death, the meaning of life and death, achievements, achievements in art and life and their interrelationship? How realistic the look at this theme, how contrived, how satirical?

5. The film's presentation of relationships in parody and irony? The exploration of artistic genius, genius in art and life? How wise, incisive, satirical?

6. Audience identification with Cornelius? Entering the film through his approach? His work as a biographer, as a critic? The comedy of his arrival and its impact? His purpose, the puzzle, the search? What kind of man did Cornelius represent?

7. The growing development of the relationship between Cornelius and the women? Love, humiliation, fascination, pursuit? The significance of the title, the women in themselves,

8. The style, the parody of silent films, the use of the fireworks etc.?

9. The focus of the film on Felix and his art? A man who was isolated, the breaking through? A man to be killed, his death? What did he represent?

10. The portrait of Julker, his work and style as an impresario, his relationship with the others, what did he represent?

11. How interesting were the group of women? As a group with their variety of personalities and styles? The old, the young? What did they represent in terms of types? Was each woman presented as a character or a type? How did this apply to each of the women? Her relationship with Felix, Cornelius?

12. The women and themes of sexuality and love? The variations on this theme? The consequences of violence and jealousy?

13. The symbolism and significance of the fireworks within the film?

14. The significance of the concert, the timeliness of the death, the announcements?

15. The overall effect of the biography, the young cellist at the end?

16. What was Bergman's attitude towards his characters, plot, towards the audience? His attitude towards art and life, order and chaos? How serious was he?