Virgin Spring (Jungfrukällan, 1960)
Ingmar Bergman
Sweden
89 mins, black and white, Swedish (English subtitles)
This is a deceptively simple story that ends up being one of the more disturbing films that I've seen. The 14th century tale, on which the plot is based, tells of a family that faces the gruesome rape and murder of the younger daughter, the cruel retribution exacted upon the murderers by the father, and the subversive redemption of that revenge.
Bergman has admitted that the pro-Christian ending, where the father is redeemed by his own confession and repentance, is tacked on and somewhat didactic. In this, he is either lying or did not understand what he was filming. Given his meticulous attention to detail, I would think it is the former. In short, the ending is NOT pro-Christian. In fact, it is anti-Christian because it argues against the most basic tenets of that faith. What Töre (von Sydow) ends up arguing in his prayer is simply that he knows of no way to live except through his own hands, and therefore he knows of no way to forgive except by atoning the blood of his child with the blood of her murderers. Notice in particular that he killed the boy, who did not participate in the rape or murder and who was arguably the only one to be tormented by his conscience. Töre, however, feels no compunction for this no less gruesome deed. He'll build a church on the spot of Karin's death, so what? God, however, indicates his satisfaction with the argument (the stream that springs forth) and that is quite contrary to Christian dogma.
The film is wonderfully subversive in more ways than that, however. Take, for example, the pagan Ingeri (Lindblom), who prays to Odin for harm to befall her Karin (Pettersson). Why does she hate Karin so much? The film hints that it is perhaps their parents' fault, especially the overly devout mother. Karin is really not a likeable character, she is manipulative in the extreme, she knows what she needs to do to get the clothes she wants, or the approval of her parents. Ingeri is straightforward, never a good thing in a family, especially in Bergman's world. In the end, neither the father nor the mother seem to realize just how much of the tragedy has been caused by their neglect of the older daughter. It is no coincidence that Odin answers her prayers. I think this clearly identifies the source of the event as Ingeri's hate for Karin, which implicates the parents.
Then there's the question of the boy. Is he evil? It really seems that he is not. In fact, he appears guilty only by association. He is clearly terrified by the event he has witnessed but is there anything that he can realistically do about it? No. And yet he dies.
Thus, "Virgin Spring" is a beautiful, provocative, and quite disturbing, especially if you are a Christian (this author isn't, so liked the film even more). The black-and-white photography has never looked better, and Bergman is at his usual best, managing to define the characters with few bold strokes/scenes. This is a film worth seeing and pondering over.
March 19, 2001. BLS