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Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) DVD Review
Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) DVD Credits:
Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) Directed by:
Ingmar Bergman
Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) Written by:
Not available at this time
Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) Cast:
Åke Grönberg, Harriet Andersson, Hasse Ekman, Anders Ek, Gudrun Brost
Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) DVD Release Date:
20th November 2007
Our Rating: Extras Rating:

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Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) Synopsis:

While traveling in caravan through the country of Sweden, one member of the decadent Alberti Circus tells the owner and ringmaster Albert Johansson a sad story about the clown Frost: seven years ago, his wife Alma was surprised by him bathing naked in a lake with a regiment. When the circus arrives in the town where Albert's wife Agda and sons live, he decides to pay a visit with his young mistress Anne to a famous local troupe to borrow some capes, hats and vests for their tonight show. They are humiliated by the director Mr. Sjuberg, but he lends the pieces, and the lead actor Frans gives an unsuccessful pass on Anne. When Albert decides to visit Agda, the jealous Anne meets Frans, who seduces her with an apparently valuable necklace, and they have a love affair. Anne finds that the necklace is actually worthless and returns to the circus. Meanwhile, Agda refuses to accept Albert back and he sees Anne leaving the theater and going to the jewelry. During the exhibition, Albert and Anne are submitted to humiliations by Frans.

Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) DVD Review:

Although this film was not well received by some critics as well as a majority of film-goers, Sawdust and Tinsel is a film that Ingmar Bergman thought was his best to date, and still looks fondly upon it in an interview included on the DVD from about five years ago. This DVD was in fact approved by the late director, making it a reminder of his recent demise. Although the world-renowned director has recently passed, the stark images from his films will live on forever. A crowd of soldiers laughing at a truly heartbroken clown who has been betrayed by his wife is just the first of many unforgettable images in Sawdust and Tinsel, the dream-like romantic melodrama taking place as a traveling carnival enters a town to perform.

The carnival is a shabby run-down traveling show and everyone including the bear is starving. The circus owner (Ǻke Grönberg) has grown tired of running the circus, and although he tells everyone that they are going to have a large show in the nearby town, he knows this is the town his former wife lives in with his children. Having abandoned them, he returns begging to be allowed back into their lives. He does so although his new girlfriend from the circus (Harriet Andersson) threatens to leave him. This pushes her into the arms of another man, from the local theater. There is a battle between the sexes, but in the end there are no winners and essentially no losers either.

This was Bergman’s thirteenth film, but it marked a change in the director. From here he matured as a director and found a very distinct visual style and quiet approach that quickly became signature. The interview as an introduction to the film has Bergman giving a short appreciation for the film before insisting that it was enough and signaling for the film to begin. This simple feature on the DVD shows the control from the fabulous director who approved this DVD. There is also an audio commentary by Bergman scholar Peter Cowie, recorded specifically for this DVD. Perhaps the most important inclusion is the uncut version of the film, re-inserting the five minutes which were cut when the film was released in the United States. There is also a booklet with a new essay by John Simon and an appreciation by filmmaker Catherine Breillat.

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Sawdust And Tinsel (1956) DVD review written by: Ryan Izay

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