Arguably the warmest of Ingmar Bergman's masterpieces, Wild Strawberries charts the geographical and spiritual odyssey traveled by the elderly Professor Isak Borg - his name in Swedish more or less means "icy fortress"- (played by Victor Sjostrom). Borg drives, in the company of his daughter-in-law Marianne (Ingrid Thulin), from Stockholm to the University of Lund to receive an honorary degree. En route he gives a ride to three young hitchhikers - including the vivacious Sara (Bibi Andersson), who in name and nature reminds him of the love of his life - and a middle aged couple. He visits his now ancient mother, before finally trying to have a heart-to-heart talk with his son, Evald (Gunnar Bjornstrand), a cynical misanthrope whom Marianne has been planning to leave. The conversation Borg has with Evald is crucial, not only because it might save his son's marriage but because it shows the professor's journey has brought him a degree of self-knowledge. He has become properly aware not only of his mortality but of his own emotional reticence - inherited from his parents, consolidated by life's disappointments and his immersion in work. He has almost unwittingly passed it on, like a virus, to Evald.
The strength of Bergman's account of this day in the life- or, rather, a life of a day, the long day's journey brings back all manner of telling memories - is the assured manner in which he combines objective and subjective realities of Borg's life. The inner and external details progressively throw more light upon the man. It is not only his dreams and memories that illuminate our understanding of him but also his various encounters and conversations. Marianne, although tactful and affectionate, is comparatively explicit in alluding to Borg's failings. Sara reminds him of his more passionate youth. The arguing couple call to mind both his own grouchiness and the future Marianne may face with Evald.
Borg's redemptive acquisition of self-knowledge affects those around him too, and the miracle of Wild Strawberries is that Bergman never inflects this conclusion with sentimentality. Blessed with a radiant yet courageously uningratiating performance by Sjostrom in this remarkable, much-imitated film, Wild Strawberries has an emotional honesty entirely in keeping the voyage undergone by its protagonist.
Quote of the Day -Isak Borg "Honorary Doctor! They might as well appoint me Honorary Idiot."
Tomorrow: Fanny And Alexander (1982)
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