The recent death of the great filmmaker Ingmar Bergman has inspired me to revisit my favorite Bergman film, a cinematic journey entitled FANNY AND ALEXANDER. Made in 1982, FANNY AND ALEXANDER weaves an unparalleled thematic tapestry in which faith and doubt are treated as close relatives rather than bitter enemies and in which the nuanced complexity of family relationships finds expression in a variety of unusual circumstances. The appearance of an occasional ghost (!) gives to the film an appealing Shakespearean openness to the supernatural. The film is not for those who prefer to treat cinema as background noise. But if you are looking for a compelling and enchanting story brought to life by a master artist, it will not disappoint.
Part of what I appreciate about FANNY AND ALEXANDER is the seriousness with which it takes art. In fact, in one of my favorite speeches from the film, Oscar Ekdahl, the manager of a theater, explains eloquently why it is that he has devoted his life to the world of the theater:
My dear friends, for 22 years, in the capacity of theater manager, I’ve stood here and made a speech without really having any talent for that sort of thing. Especially if you think of my father who was brilliant at speeches. My only talent, if you can call it that in my case, is that I love this little world inside the thick walls of this playhouse, and I’m fond of the people who work in this little world. Outside is the big world, and sometimes the little world succeeds in reflecting the big one so that we understand it better. Or perhaps, we give the people who come here a chance to forget for a while, for a few short moments, the harsh world outside. Our theater is a little room of orderliness, routine, care and love. I don’t know why I feel so comically solemn this evening. I can’t explain how I feel, so I’d best be brief. My wife and I, and the rest of the Ekdahl family, my brother Carl, -I think Carl is here- We wish you all a happy and joyous Christmas. I Hope we meet again on St. Stephen’s Day, strengthened in body and soul. Merry Christmas.
Indeed. Is there any more succinct description of the purpose of art than this? True art, as Oscar suggests, is a “little world” reflecting the “big world” in order that we might understand the big world with greater clarity and depth. Or, on some occasions, true art is “a little room of orderliness and care” that enables us to escape the harsh demands and realities that the world so often places before us. In either case, art is something sacred, not to be minimized and not to be underestimated. In FANNY AND ALEXANDER, the artistic world is often the only world that makes sense.
Why do I love music so much? And movies? And comic books? And poetry? And evocative novels? And scary tales from Stephen King and Richard Laymon? I’m not certain that I can answer with a sentence or two. But I am convinced that it has something to do with the power of art to create exciting and exhilarating new worlds that help us to relate more meaningfully to the “real” world in which we find ourselves living. FANNY AND ALEXANDER accomplishes this artistic re-creation in a way that few films ever will. You may want to check it out.
Roger Ebert describes his experience with FANNY AND ALEXANDER in this way:
At the end, I was subdued and yet exhilarated. Something had happened to me that was outside language, that was spiritual, that incorporated Bergman’s mysticism. One of his characters suggests that our lives flow into each other’s, that even a pebble is an idea of God, that there is a level just out of view where everything really happens.
Great post…I have learned more about the big world through the little world of movies, books and music. I have also learned much about myself and my shortcomings, failures and even victories.
I’m a big Bergman fan…though I prefer The Virgin Spring and The Seventh Seal to his later work. He was a true master who will be missed. I posted briefly on his passing here.
Thanks, Keith.
I enjoyed THE VIRGIN SPRING, but have not yet seen THE SEVENTH SEAL.
I have long been a fan of Max von Sydow. Any actor with a resume that includes powerful portrayals of Jesus, the devil, and an exorcist deserves some serious props.
Eric -
You and I share a common passion for the arts, but I must confess that I have never seen any Bergman films. After seeing your and Keith’s posts, however, I feel like I’m missing something major and will definitely be heading to the video store soon.
Your comments are insightful as always and I liked the quote from the theater manager. I would just add that I believe there is a third purpose to art besides merely reflecting the world or offering and escape from the world. That would be to project an image of life that ought to be and can be.
Sure, I like films, books, and music that just give me an escape from reality and are entertainment for its own sake.
And sure, I like those that also present a critical snapshot of the world as it really is.
But the art that has really inspired me is the art that projects an image of the essentials of life as it could be. When I see a movie like “Chariots of Fire” or “Glory” — when I look at a painting like “The Oath of the Horatii” or listen to Copland’s Third Symphony, I think: “This is life with integrity, heroism, and joy…life as it could be!”
I think that’s missing from a lot of modern art, but I think it’s just as necessary an element as the other two.
Cheers……………
Jeff…
Nice!
Thanks for reminding us of art’s power to envision and illuminate what life can be at its best.
And right back at ya with the “cheers”—where everybody knows your name.
Or, given your reference to “The Oath of the Horatii,” perhaps I should forget about the “cheers” and offer instead a Roman salute!