Brink of Life

Shortly after The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries, Ingmar Bergman made this little known masterpiece centering around three women in a maternity ward. Now if that statement alone isn't enough to get you thinking about the possibilities of Bergman with such a concept, then you don't know Bergman. The "chamber drama" style foreshadows some of his later greats such as Persona, Cries and Whispers, and Autumn Sonata. In fact, I might go so far as to say that this may be one of the quintessential Bergman films. Its focus is on three pregnant woman and their doubts and insecurities and joys about bringing life into the world. Needless to say, tragedy befalls some, relationships are questioned and some break apart. Like so many of his finest films, Bergman manages to dig deeply and with remarkable perception into the woman's psyche. Of course there is pain, suffering, and primal screams of agony, but it is a film made with love and caring. It also features many of the great talents from his acting troupe: Ingrid Thulin, Bibi Andersson, Max von Sydow, and Erland Josephson among others. It's interesting that he once again tackles the subject of death, yet by setting it in a maternity ward, the inevitable hopefullness of life and birth manage to balance out the sadness. A wonderful little film.