The Cannes Film Festival has chosen to pay tribute to an actress who brought to life the emancipated image of women of her time. One of the best actresses of the last century, Ingrid Bergman, a native Swede, was born in 1915. Her first major film role was in the 1935 Swedish film 'Munkbrogreve'.
The actress entered show business through a competition at the Royal Dramatic Theater, where she impressed the jury by what they called her 'security and impertinence'. They called her a natural and it was because of her liberal and audacious manner that the number of admirers grew with every film. The actress was desired as the leading lady by great filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Roberto Rossellini and Ingmar Bergman. The actress whose career lasted 50 years headed the Cannes jury in the year 1973. We line up 10 of her must watch movies. Watch these movies not only to watch this magnificent woman but also for the great movies that they are.
Intermezzo: A love story (1939): One of the first hits by the actress which narrates the love story between a violinist and his daughter's piano teacher played by Bergman. This drama film was so popular that it was adapted in Hollywood in 1939 after it was originally made in Sweden in 1936. The only common cast member between both the films was its lead actress Bergman.
Casablanca (1942): Bergman plays the Ilsa Lund in this classic romantic drama set against the mysterious city of Casablanca in Morocco. The film with its many characters and their close knit stories form an interesting plot. The movie has proved its metal to the test to the test of time.
Spellbound (1945): A psychological mystery thriller by Alfred Hitchcock stars Bergman as Dr. Constance Petersen who gets involved in a strange relationship with Dr. Anthony Edwardes / John Ballantyne (Gregory Peck) who suffers from a strange phobia of seeing parallel lines against a white background. The intense relationship shared between the lead stars of the film extended beyond the film sets, Gregory Peck confessed to having a short liaison with Bergman after the death of the actress.
Notorious (1946): In this spy thriller by Alfred Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman plays Alicia Huberman who helps government agent T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) to get to the bottom of a post war Nazi plot. The film was liked both for its great Hitchcock style plot and the chemistry between the lead actors who fall in love as the film progresses in the beautiful and exotic locations of Rio-de-Jenario.
Journey to Italy (1954): Kathrine (Bergman) and Alexander Joyce (George Sanders) are forced to confront the problems of there relationships when they embark on a trip to Italy. The couple who fights for the most part of the trip goes through a transforming event which changes both of them by the end of their trip. The film was directed by Bergman's then husband, the Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini.
Anastasia (1956): This movie is a fictionalized account of one of the greatest mysteries of the last century. In 1918 the revolutionaries killed the Imperial family of Russia and formed a new communist government. A woman called Anna Andreson played by Bergman claims to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia, daughter to Tsar Nicolas II in 1920 after her release from a mental institution. This incident inspired a play by Guy Bolton and Marcelle Maurette which was then adapted to screen. Bergman received an Oscar for her performance in this film.
Aimez-Vous Brahms/ Goodbye Again (1961): Bergman plays Paula Tessier, an interior designer who falls into a passionate relationship with a younger man Philip (Anthony Perkins) after her long time partner Roger Demarest (Yves Montand) cheats on her with another younger women.
The Visit (1964): Karla Zachannassian (Bergman) returns to her poverty stricken home town after amassing great wealth. She offers 2 million dollars to the town's people against a condition that they kill her husband whom she suspects of cheating on him. The actress was admired for her portrayal of a tough woman who corrupts the whole town to buy her husband's death.
Murder on the Orient Express (1974): The film adapted from Agatha Christie's master piece featuring Hercule Poirot, earned the actress an Oscar for her supporting role as the plane Swedish women Greta Ohlsson. The film is a must watch for all mystery lovers.
Autumn Sonata (1978): This Swedish film is about a mother daughter relationship. Bergman in one of her last film role plays Charlotte Andergast, a world renowned pianist who is invited by her daughter Eva (Liv Ullmann) to her village. The mother and daughter who have not seen each other for over seven years have some hard questions to answer. The film won a Golden Globe for best foreign language film and was nominated for 2 Oscars.
Comments
0 comment