Brink of Life is a film title rarely commented on when the topic of classic Ingmar Bergman is discussed, and is little seen today. There are only eight reviews here. After seeing it for the first time in Criterion's Ingmar Bergman's Cinema boxset, I'm left baffled as to how that's the case. Its four leading actresses each took home Best Actress Awards from the Cannes Film Festival, where Bergman himself also picked up a nod for Best Director. The cast includes some heavy hitters: Max Von Sydow and a barely recognizable (except by voice) Erland Josephson. Why was this film forgotten?
Particularly, Ingrid Thulin's performance is magnificent, among the best of her career with the acclaimed director. Bibi Andersson, presented as less than pure as she is often depicted in Bergman's filmography, also makes an impression in a different light. The film itself holds up particularly well; in exploring the situation of three women struggling with pregnancies between varying degrees of wanted and unwanted, the drama can be powerful and the story is kind of timeless.
Particularly, Ingrid Thulin's performance is magnificent, among the best of her career with the acclaimed director. Bibi Andersson, presented as less than pure as she is often depicted in Bergman's filmography, also makes an impression in a different light. The film itself holds up particularly well; in exploring the situation of three women struggling with pregnancies between varying degrees of wanted and unwanted, the drama can be powerful and the story is kind of timeless.