In 2023 I have composed an early Bergman program for myself. I watched "Brink of life" in the context of this program, but strictly speaking it is not an early Bergman. It was made after "The seventh seal" (1957) and "Wild strawberries" (1957).
It certainly is a forgotten Bergman and that is strange because at the filmfestival in Cannes the film was overloaded with awards. Ingmar Bergman got the best director award and the three lead actresses together with a supporting actress collectively got the award for best actress.
After seeing the film my conclusion is that it is unjustly forgotten. It is about three women (played by Ingrid Thulin, Bibi Andersson and Eva Dahlbeck) in a maternity hospital. The film tells the stories of their pregnancy's and their emotions about becoming mother. The film is very modern in that motherhood is not portrayed as a sort of holy grail for each woman. Some women are afraid of the responsibilities it entails.
As follows from the story, the leading characters are women. Men play a very minor role in this film and are more often than not unsympathetic. This applies to husbands, lovers and doctors alike. In this respect "Brink of life" is at the cradle of later (and more well known) womenmovies of Ingmar Bergman such as "Persona" (1966), Cries and whispers" (1972) and "Autumn sonata" (1978).
The film is situated for a great deal in one room of the maternity hospital. In this respect it resembles "12 angry men" (1957, Sidney Lumet). This requirs strong acting performances, which both films amply provide. The maternity hospital is moreover a very sterile environment, with which the human emotions of the actresses contrast sharply.
It certainly is a forgotten Bergman and that is strange because at the filmfestival in Cannes the film was overloaded with awards. Ingmar Bergman got the best director award and the three lead actresses together with a supporting actress collectively got the award for best actress.
After seeing the film my conclusion is that it is unjustly forgotten. It is about three women (played by Ingrid Thulin, Bibi Andersson and Eva Dahlbeck) in a maternity hospital. The film tells the stories of their pregnancy's and their emotions about becoming mother. The film is very modern in that motherhood is not portrayed as a sort of holy grail for each woman. Some women are afraid of the responsibilities it entails.
As follows from the story, the leading characters are women. Men play a very minor role in this film and are more often than not unsympathetic. This applies to husbands, lovers and doctors alike. In this respect "Brink of life" is at the cradle of later (and more well known) womenmovies of Ingmar Bergman such as "Persona" (1966), Cries and whispers" (1972) and "Autumn sonata" (1978).
The film is situated for a great deal in one room of the maternity hospital. In this respect it resembles "12 angry men" (1957, Sidney Lumet). This requirs strong acting performances, which both films amply provide. The maternity hospital is moreover a very sterile environment, with which the human emotions of the actresses contrast sharply.