Underplayed Gems

The Best Intentions (1992)

The Best Intentions poster
Original title
Den goda viljan
Directed by
Bille August
Genre
drama film, melodrama, romance film
Country
Sweden
Runtime
3h
Rated
14
Rating
7.0 of 10 from 74 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

This film follows the courtship and early marriage of Henrik and Anna, based on the real parents of Ingmar Bergman. It shows the struggles and conflicts they face as they try to build a life together. The story ends before the birth of their second son.

slow-burnmelancholicintimateemotionally complexpensivebluntaustereheartfelt

What happens

The Best Intentions (Swedish: Den goda viljan) is a 1991 Swedish television drama film directed by Bille August and written by Ingmar Bergman. It is semi-autobiographical, telling the story of the complex relationship between Bergman's parents, Erik Bergman and Karin Åkerblom, who are renamed Henrik and Anna in the film but retain their true surnames. The film documents the courtship and the difficult early years of their marriage, until the point when Anna becomes pregnant with their second son, who corresponds to Ingmar himself. Samuel Fröler and Pernilla August played Henrik and Anna, respectively. Ingmar Bergman wrote the screenplay based on scattered notes and conversations with his parents in their later years. At the time, it was one of the most expensive Swedish films ever made. It can be viewed as a continuation of Bergman's 1982 film Fanny and Alexander. After Bergman had ostensibly retired from directing following Fanny and Alexander, he chose August as his director on the strength of the latter's 1988 Pelle the Conqueror, on condition that Pernilla August be cast as Anna. The film was condensed into a theatrical version in 1992 and won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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