We hear that a woman has been killed by an exploding stove so Bergman isn't exactly setting us up for a romantic comedy. Wed flashback to seven years beforehand when the woman met her husband while both were working in an orchestra. Like many of Bergman's early films it's about a young couple in love trying to make a go of it; but Bergman's a little bit older now - a little more bitter and weary. So while the two are sweet falling in love she's worried about being a fraud, and so is he, and he gets jealous.
There's lots of music here, and Victor Sjostrom as the wise conductor, but this is mostly about the self loathing male lead - he worries about not being up to being a violinist, he realises he isn't up to it (an effective sequence), he cheats on his wife, he slaps her around (my sympathy for him vanished at this point), he's moody and annoying but she loves him and I think it's meant to be sad when it doesn't turn out for him.
Bergman was apparently inspired by his own feelings of guilt from cheating on his wife. "Look at me, I'm cheating on my wife and feeling bad about it! I have a rotten protagonist and give all the sympathy to the woman! I can't overcome my demons but I don't feel good. Look at me!"
This got on my nerves, you can tell. You can't dismiss it - it was clearly made by a person of great talent, the photography is wonderful and there are some outstanding sequences. But I wasn't that impressed. I know it's Bergman but sorry it's true.
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