Scenes from a Marriage is a 1973 Swedish television miniseries written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. The series consists of six hour-long episodes and explores the disintegration of the marriage between Marianne (Liv Ullmann), a divorce lawyer, and Johan (Erland Josephson), a psychology professor. The story spans a period of 10 years and draws on Bergman's own experiences, including his relationship with Ullmann.
The miniseries has been highly influential, with other filmmakers and critics referencing it in their work. For example, actor Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater cited "Scenes from a Marriage" as the standard by which their film "Before Midnight" must be judged. Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev initially conceived his film "Loveless" (2017) as a remake of "Scenes from a Marriage," and Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story" (2019) also contains references to Bergman's miniseries.
The film is known for its intense, intimate close-ups, shot on 16 mm by cinematographer Sven Nykvist, and the flawless performances by Ullmann and Josephson. It has been praised as one of the truest and most luminous love stories ever made, offering an uncompromisingly harrowing and honest account of male-female relationships.
Plot
The plot follows the couple as they navigate the ups and downs of their relationship, including fights, separation, and possible reunion. The series is praised for its tender craft and measured performances, but some critics note that it lacks the necessary insight to leave a lasting mark.
Cast
- Liv Ullmann as Marianne
- Erland Josephson as Johan
- Bibi Andersson as Katarina
- Jan Malmsjö as Peter
- Gunnel Lindblom as Eva
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Writer: Ingmar Bergman
Box Office Gross: $10,146
Distributor: Cinema 5 Distributing, Criterion Collection
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 15, 1974
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 27, 2019
Genre: Drama
