Prison

Minor, depressing early Ingmar Bergman drama, bulit on an ambitious life-mirrors-art concept that doesn't really come off. It begins with the premise of a director being pitched the idea of making a film that depicts "Hell on Earth", but then the movie seems to try to prove this thesis via the story of some people involved in the filmmaking process. There is one notable extended dream sequence, but the most original touch is probably the spoken opening credits that never actually appear on the screen. It's a well-made and well-acted film, but one recommended mostly for dedicated Bergman followers. ** out of 4.