Only One Night

Ingrid Bergman oddly receives top billing in her last Swedish film, Only One Night before going Hollywood to reprise her role in Intermezzo which she did in her homeland 3 years earlier. Clearly the third lead her natural beauty takes a back seat to no one.

Carny manager, Valdemar (Edvin Adolphson) is a persuasive charmer easy on the eyes of the ladies. A charismatic upbeat fellow he finds out he is the out of wedlock son of a nobleman through farfetched coincidence. The upper crust old man (Olof Sandborg) sets out to convert Waldemar to a life of gentry as well as hook him up with his refined ward played by Bergman in order to extend the breed and name. The conversion however does not go smoothly.

Adolphson plays Waldemar the boundless charmer true to himself with a vivacious devil may care attitude, knowing the hardbitten existence of the carnival circuit suits him better than being lord of the manor. Bergman is more of a paradox, asexual but willing to sacrifice. She is certainly a character that bears a lot of scrutiny and Ingrid, though difficult to define is solid from end to end. Aino Taub as Wal's carnival squeeze brings excellent contrast to Bergman's character.

Bergman influencer director Molander seems to be attempting to convey a stay in your own lane attitude in this veiled class war that sometimes overloads scenes with superfluous dialogue making it move slowly in spots but forces you to linger to see where our leads are headed as Molander keeps matters nebulous until film's climax.