Shame (1968)

Me and Ingmar Down by the Schoolyard

I realized that I haven't seen any true Bergman films since starting this blog. I saw the final part of Fanny & Alexander, but it's such a huge work that it's hard to say much about it. And the Making of, well, that kind of speaks for itself, though I did make an effort. But Shame, I'd never seen before, and, surprise surprise, I really enjoyed it.

It's kind of a war movie from Bergman. Oddly enough, he never made any films dealing directly with war, apart from Shame. What I realized towards the end of Shame is that this isn't an anti-war film at all. Nor is it a pro-war film. It simply accepts war as an inevitability and offers up a portrait of two civilians caught in the middle of it, trying to survive. Under the opening credits, we hear gunfire and foreign radio chatter. The way it's designed lends the film an unsettling tone early on, and later, the gunshots and explosions give it an atmosphere that's almost unworldly.

In Bergman films, it's always interesting to examine the characters, and Shame is no exception. Between Jan and Eva, the roles of traditionally strong and stable husband and meek wife have been switched. Although I think it has a lot to do with personalities, Jan's illness also is a factor. The film is very ambiguous as to what his illness is, but it's believed to be mental in nature. Because of this, Eva is forced to take care of Jan at many points, and he relies on her.

On the other hand, Eva has to be completely strong in the relationship. She wakes up first, gets things ready, prods her husband along and cares for him when his illness manifests. Although she does care for Jan, her tone comes off as harsh sometimes, as she sometimes condescends to him out of frustration. It's with this attitude that she takes charge in the situation and decides to sleep with Jacobi for the money. Though, we have to wonder, why did she need the money in the first place? Most likely to attempt an escape, but is that really why? Could it just be simple frustration with Jan that drives her to extreme measures, and, coincidentally, gives her some extra money?

After this, Jan's character changes, he takes control, becomes demanding and forceful with Eva. After that, he murders a young soldier brutally. Is this frustration all because of Eva? Of course not, it's built up through the events of the movie, culminating in this one moment. Despite all of his flaws, he's still remained innocent up until this point.

At the end, they escape on a boat with Jacobi's money. Yet, Nykvist's camera pulls out to reveal the tiny boat, floating, dwarfed by the endless ocean. We have to wonder, did they really escape? The events they've witnessed and taken part in, the murder, the bombings, the ripping apart and subsequent burning of their house, Jan sleeping with Jacobi, these bitter memories they'll carry with them forever. So, have they really escaped?