Well "The Rite" (1969, Riten, also known as "The Ritual" in the USA) totally baffled me. It was done as a television film in Sweden, thus is shorter than most Ingmar Bergman films. It was done soon after Bergman left an unhappy experience at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm. An observer also noted that at that time he had also fathered nine children by six different women. He had also had massive tax battles with Sweden. Bergman was a conflicted man, and said "More or less consciously I divided myself into three characters in the film."
Three highly successful actors in a traveling cabaret are before a judge in an unnamed country where they are being investigated for their act thought to be obscene. Sebastian (Anders Ek) is lecherous, a drunk, and on the edge of a nervous breakdown. He killed his former partner, but now has a sexual relationship with Thea (Ingrid Thulin), his former partner's widow. Thea is the current wife of Hans (Gunnar Björnstrand), the third member of the troupe. Thea is also unstable. Hans is the orderly one, but has his own demons. Judge Abramson (Erik Hell) who is interviewing them starts out cool as a cucumber but disintegrates himself as the film progresses through a series of scenes in an interview room, a hotel room, a confessional (where Ingmar Bergman has a bit part as a priest), etc.
I don't understand how any one can live with these dysfunctional parts of their personality.
Three highly successful actors in a traveling cabaret are before a judge in an unnamed country where they are being investigated for their act thought to be obscene. Sebastian (Anders Ek) is lecherous, a drunk, and on the edge of a nervous breakdown. He killed his former partner, but now has a sexual relationship with Thea (Ingrid Thulin), his former partner's widow. Thea is the current wife of Hans (Gunnar Björnstrand), the third member of the troupe. Thea is also unstable. Hans is the orderly one, but has his own demons. Judge Abramson (Erik Hell) who is interviewing them starts out cool as a cucumber but disintegrates himself as the film progresses through a series of scenes in an interview room, a hotel room, a confessional (where Ingmar Bergman has a bit part as a priest), etc.
I don't understand how any one can live with these dysfunctional parts of their personality.