Through a Glass Darkly (1961)

The first chapter of Bergman’s faith trilogy. Here the director explores how we play roles for others in our lives, and the guilt that can come from that, when we know they know, and we feel we fall flat. Set on an island off the Swedish coast there are only four characters, a popular though not critically acclaimed novelist (Gunnar Björnstrand) , his subtlety estranged 17 year old son (Lars Passgård) , his psycho frantic daughter (Harriet Andersson), and her doctor husband (Max von Sydow) . The author, though doubtless pained by his daughters condition, is simultaneously exploiting it, and studying her, for material for his next novel, one which he hopes will finally provide him with the positive critical recognition he craves. The man feels conflicted about this, but it's also a part of his nature, and perhaps a commentary on how our sympathy for others can often be limited, be an obligatory role that comes from our socially dictated relationship with a person. The daughters condition makes her crazy, but also quite honest in her way, and when she discovers what her father has written about her in his notebook, it sets off, or rather exacerbates an episode, that forms much of the narrative core of the story; what happens to her, how others react, not just to her, but to the way the father reacts. Often silent, and sometimes slow, I regret to say I had a hard time paying attention, and multitaskesed some, thusly limiting the full impact of the film on myself. I should probably try and watch this one again, but I doubt I will, least not in the near future. Interesting premise, if dragged out more then I was in the mood for. 3 ½ out of 5.