Returning to a theater stage as the setting for his film, Ingmar Bergman made a television movie, "After the Rehearsal" (1984, Efter repetitionen) with three main characters. Henrik Vogler (Erland Josephson) is a crusty, jaded director contemplating life after a rehearsal. The female lead of Agnes in in his production of August Strindberg's "A Dream Play" (1901, Ett drömspel) comes back to the theater to look for a misplaced bracelet.
Anna (Lena Olin) and Henrik talk about the their working relationship which becomes more personal and changes to an argument. Anna talks about how she hates her mother, Rakel (Ingrid Thulin), who performed the Agnes role under Henrick's direction earlier. Rakel has died, after being a great actress, an alcoholic and an abuser of Anna.
While still talking Henrik goes back in time in sort of a dream and has an extended conversation with Rakel on the same stage while a young Anna sits silently and observes. Rakel tries to seduce Henrik while they argue, but he rejects her. Ultimately he agrees to come to her nearby apartment in hour in order to get rid of her.
Henrik's conversation with Anna resumes. Anna informs Henrik she is pregnant, which threatens her ability to play the Agnes role. Then she says she's had an abortion, only at the insistence of her partner. Near the end they talk their way through a description of how a failed affair between the two of them would unfold.
Surprise, surprise the whole thing is a bit of downer. Henrik's life seems real only on the stage, not in life. An interesting twist is that Ingrid Thulin did play the "Agnes" role in Bergman's 1963 production of "A Dream Play."
For some reason I fell asleep part way through the film, and had to go back to watch part of the Henrik-Rakel sequence. It was an interesting film, but not a keeper.
Anna (Lena Olin) and Henrik talk about the their working relationship which becomes more personal and changes to an argument. Anna talks about how she hates her mother, Rakel (Ingrid Thulin), who performed the Agnes role under Henrick's direction earlier. Rakel has died, after being a great actress, an alcoholic and an abuser of Anna.
While still talking Henrik goes back in time in sort of a dream and has an extended conversation with Rakel on the same stage while a young Anna sits silently and observes. Rakel tries to seduce Henrik while they argue, but he rejects her. Ultimately he agrees to come to her nearby apartment in hour in order to get rid of her.
Henrik's conversation with Anna resumes. Anna informs Henrik she is pregnant, which threatens her ability to play the Agnes role. Then she says she's had an abortion, only at the insistence of her partner. Near the end they talk their way through a description of how a failed affair between the two of them would unfold.
Surprise, surprise the whole thing is a bit of downer. Henrik's life seems real only on the stage, not in life. An interesting twist is that Ingrid Thulin did play the "Agnes" role in Bergman's 1963 production of "A Dream Play."
For some reason I fell asleep part way through the film, and had to go back to watch part of the Henrik-Rakel sequence. It was an interesting film, but not a keeper.