Kerstin Tidelius Movies
Though he made allusions to his own life in all of his films, Fanny and Alexander was the first overtly autobiographical film by Ingmar Bergman. Taking his time throughout (188 minutes to be exact), Bergman recreates several episodes from his youth, using as conduits the fictional Ekdahl family. Alexander, the director's alter ego, is first seen at age 10 at a joyous and informal Christmas gathering of relatives and servants. Fanny is Alexander's sister; both suffer an emotional shakedown when their recently-widowed mother (Ewa Froling) marries a cold and distant minister. Stripped of their creature comforts and relaxed family atmosphere, Fanny and Alexander suddenly find their childhood unendurable. The kids' grandmother (Gunn Wallgren) "kidnaps" Fanny and Alexander for the purpose of showering them with the first kindness and affection that they've had since their father's death. This "purge" of the darker elements of Fanny and Alexander's existence is accomplished at the unintentional (but applaudable) cost of the hated stepfather's life. Ingmar Bergman insisted that Fanny and Alexander, originally a multipart television series pared down to feature-film length, represented his final theatrical film, though within a year after its release he was busy with several additional Swedish TV projects, and his final work, the 2003 Saraband (also produced for Swedish television), eventually received global theatrical distribution. Oscars went to Fanny and Alexander for Best Foreign Film, Best Cinematography (Sven Nykvist), Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction/Set Decoration. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pernilla Allwin, Bertil Guve, (more)
- 1969
Flushed with the success of his Elvira Madigan, Swedish director Bo Widerberg concocted another story of teenaged love juxtaposed with social upheaval in Adalen 31. The title refers to the 1931 worker's strike against the Adalen paper mill in Northern Sweden. As the strikers debate whether or not to use violence in pressing their complaint, the daughter of the factory owner (Marie De Geer) is impregnated by the son of a worker (Peter Schildt). The strike is "resolved" in a bloody confrontation between the laborers and government troops, resulting in the death of the boy--and, on a greater scale, the collapse of Sweden's Conservative Government. The girl ultimately opts for an abortion, which partially explains why Adalen 31 was originally given an "X" rating by the then-conservative Motion Picture Association of America. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Schildt, Kerstin Tidelius, (more)
- 1968
This modern tragedy finds the teacher Martensson (Per Oscarsson) as a disillusioned soul trying desperately to keep control of his class that has gone askew. The school system and the uninvolved parents demand he enforce the rules of the institution. He valiantly tries to bridge the generation gap at the same time alternately loving and hating his job and his students. Although he often sides with his students, his position of authority forces him to make unpopular decisions. The film retains a documentary-like style enforced by the used of the black-and-white camera lensing blown up from 16 to 35 millimeter. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Per Oscarsson, Kerstin Tidelius, (more)
