Intermezzo

The original version of 'Intermezzo', starring Ingrid Bergman - who later recreated the role in Hollywood opposite Leslie Howard - and Gosta Ekman, is an involving story of a mid-life crisis, an intermezzo, a passion driven by music.

Tired, bored, and a stranger to his family, Holger Brandt (Ekman) is searching for a new accompanist but when he finds his daughter's music teacher, Anita Hoffmann (Bergman) events begin to move in quite a different direction. Of course we don't see any romantic involvements beyond a bit of friendly kissing and heightened dialogue between Brandt and Hoffmann which pinpoints their relationship - and the film is all the better for it.

As good as the version with Bergman/Howard, this version is rarely seen but well worth catching. Ekman - who has more than a passing resemblance to the great German actor Conrad Veidt - is the perfect suffering artist, looking for excitement and a new definition of love; while Bergman makes the character of Hoffmann believable in her infatuation with Brandt without seeing ridiculous.

The original Swedish version of "Intermezzo" was shown on cable recently. Having seen the American treatment, we felt curious to see how it compared. This film directed by a legend of the Swedish cinema, Gusfaf Molander, is a joy to watch. Mr. Molander also wrote the screen treatment with Gosta Stevens.

The Swedish version shows American audiences a different style of acting. The idea of an older man with a loving family, falling in love with a prettier young woman is the basis of the story. In this version, the difference is more notable because Holger, the famous violinist, looks much older than in the American version. This seems to make a better case for making a case about how ultimately Holger comes back to the family. Also it makes it easier for us to accept the fact that Anita, the young pianist, realizes how deep Holger love for his family, and especially his young daughter, Anne Marie, weighed in her decision to leave him.

The performances are strong. Gosta Elman, one of the best Swedish actors makes a formidable Holger. The young Ingrid Bergman is perfect as the young Anita. Inga Tidblat, the abandoned wife Magrit gives an understated reading to her part. She understands perfectly one day this would happen. Erik Berglund and Hugo Bjorne play Charles and Thomas, Holger's friends who never make any judgment to him, yet one can watch how much they disapprove of this liaison.

The film is as effective as the American remake, although, the latter version seems to have been more fully realized and easy to take than its Swedish one. At any rate, this is a film to witness Gustaf Molander at his best!

I was lucky enough to catch this at Melbourne's wonderful Astor Cinema and was astonished to re-read the external review that panned it. This was the first pre ww2 Swedish movie I'd seen and I'd have to say that I'm yet to see any Hollywood films of its vintage that are any better. I thought that the principal cast, Gosta Ekman, Inga Tidblad (who yes does look strikingly like Kristen Scott Thomas), Ingrid Bergman, Eric "Bullen" Berglund, and Britt Hegman were terrific and the telling and pacing of the story was faultless. The poor matching of sets and trite dialogue that often marred films that were coming out of the UK and USA at the time was mercifully missing and the film was a delight. Yes its great to see Ingrid Bergman looking radiant (and at times more than a little like Gretta Garbo) but all the other components that make up this film aren't too shabby either. If you get the opportunity to see this film, I don't think you'll regret seizing it.

The Swedish version of "Intermezzo" is so heartwrenching that it must be true. Okay, so maybe that's an exaggeration, but this film is certainly one of the greatest screen romance films. It's definitely a film for artists, who need to always attempt to balance their lives between the home fires and the passion of one's creative calling. Watching this one will certainly remind the viewer to not take for granted what their love life offers them.

The original version of this Swedish melodrama by Gustaf Molander is short (the American remake is even shorter) and to the point. A famous and not very young violinist (Gösta Ekman) meets a pretty and fresh-as-a-daisy pianist (Ingrid Bergman), he believes he met his match and she falls for him or something he has. Although the final solution tries to make us believe that the violinist is a fervent family man who will return to the loving arms of his abandoned but addict-to-marriage wife (Inga Tidblad), we know better: even if Hollywood insists in pairing ageing male stars with girls who could be their great-granddaughters, the truth is that age does count. On the pianist's side, it is obvious that his fame and talent impressed her, but when she wins a "stipend" to study, she takes the right decision. Interestingly, Hans Ekman who plays Åke, the son (to his real-life father) turned into filmmaking and was Ingmar Bergman's rival for a while.