Persona

Starring: Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Margaretha Krook, Gunnar Bjornstrand
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Thriller
1966

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An actress (Liv Ullmann) stops speaking, and as part of her recuperation, she spends time with a personal nurse (Bibi Andersson) at the shore.

Review:

Tim: Among Ingmar Bergman's many effective films, Persona feels like one of the best. This small, intimate portrait of two characters is big on questions and short on answers. Bergman tackles this subject in a mature, never pandering way. I was mesmerized as I watched this film, trying to make sense of what I was seeing and what Bergman intended. This is the kind of film that like its protagonists, you can get lost in. It has immense depth, holds your attention- in short, it's a great film.

Sweden is responsible for some truly great movies and I'd put Persona on that list. This unconventional film takes a fascinating look at two women- one, a mute actress whose issues seem to stem from her mind. The other, a young nurse assigned to care for her, who approaches the work with her own emotional baggage. The thrust of the film is the relationship these two women form- what they mean to each other, the ways they act as a mirror for each other- their personas seem to meld, reflect, diverge. It's hard to know exactly what you're watching, but that is the point. This is a psychological thriller in many ways, and Bergman keeps you firmly on the edge of your seat. You recognize he's diving deep into the psyches of these two women, but as the themes emerge, the larger point remains unclear. At a certain point, I felt convinced that one of the two women didn't exist- although I wasn't sure which one. At another, I recognized that interpretation didn't make sense, and then I thought perhaps it was two people becoming one, however the heck that would work. I dismissed that as well, thinking perhaps it was more straightforward, that these two women are deeply impacted by the other and their relationship spins them off in different ways. And then, I still felt unsatisfied with that interpretation and I started all over again. Bergman purposely doesn't answer that question and it's the wonderful ambiguity that makes this film so compelling, so thought-provoking.

It helps that both Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann give fantastic performances. I loved seeing a film about two women that approached them with care, concern, and depth. For most of the movie, I wondered if we'd make it to the end without a single male face. We do get a few brief scenes, but that doesn't take away the fact that this movie is a wonderful character study of an actress and a nurse. Ullmann says so much, without uttering much in terms of actual dialogue. Her silent character pulls us in with her facial expressions and gestures. It was not an easy role, to connect this woman to the audience, but Ullmann does this. We're fascinated by Elisabet. Why did she suddenly stop speaking? How much of her job played a role in this- as an actress, her job is to slip into the being of others. She wears masks to do her job- and what psychological impact does that have? Did she get lost in her imagining of other characters? Ullmann raises these questions, mostly without uttering a word. It was a major acting challenge and she nails it.

Bibi Andersson, however, has to carry so much of the film. Ullmann rarely speaks, so we mostly hear from Nurse Alma. Andersson is riveting as Alma, bringing so much unexpected ambiguity to the role. At the beginning, we sort of love her- she's self-sacrificing, others-focused, the very ideal of a nurse. But, as the film progresses and we learn more about her character, we see the depth, the mistakes, the regrets- the baggage that she (and every one of us) picks up as we move through life. We realize Alma isn't exactly who we expected- that she's vulnerable to the same problems and issues that any of us face. We question who she is, who she presents herself to be- we question some of her actions. It's a immensely deep performance that holds our attention throughout. Andersson has most of the film's dialogue and she seems to effortlessly carry the movie on her shoulders. These two actresses give showstopping performances, which helps the film immensely.

I loved Persona. Bergman is such a fantastic director, and he brings all that experience to every frame of the movie. It's at times off-putting, challenging, ambiguous, but it's always beautifully shot. There are so many close-ups, where the world seems to disappear and we're just watching these two women and their interactions. I'm sure these characters felt like they were in a bubble, that everything outside of their relationship faded away. Bergman shows this through his filmmaking style. There's so many subtle, quiet, powerful moments. The piece of glass scene is one of the standouts, where Bergman creates immense tension without a single flashy moment. He's comfortable confusing the audience, demanding work from them, asking viewers to interpret the images and themes he's exploring. This is a mature film that asks viewers to raise their expectations to enjoy and consider. I loved the journey, the quiet moments, the powerful performances, the questions the movie raises. I consider this a great film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



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