Product: Saraband (2005)
Rating: 4.0
"It's an axiety greater than me..."
The most harrowing aspect of senility is perhaps loneliness and a sense of impotence, two sentiments that resonate throughout Ingmar Bergman's latest film "Saraband".While sorting out old photos and reminiscing about her life, Marianne (Liv Ullman) felt the sudden urge to reconnect with her ex-husband Johan (Erland Josephson) whom she hadn't spoken in thirty years. Soon after arriving at Johan's cottage in a remote countryside, Marianne found herself in the middle of a bitter struggle between Johan and his son, Henrik (Börje Ahlstedt), a former conductor, over the future of Henrik's daughter, Karin (Julia Dufvenius), a budding cellist.Henrik has been devastated by the recent passing of his late wife, Anna, and his desperate attempt to keep the last remaining love of his life, Karin, on his side not only irritated Johan but also tormented Karin, who was well aware her father's true intention of giving her cello lessons. A surprise finding by Karin would eventually culminate in the climax of the film, a candid portrayal of how far people would go to try to hang on.In our own way, we all want to know that we matter and that our existence has amounted to something meaningful. This desire is often driven and intensified by the awareness of our mortality. Marianne and Johan were also forced to face up to theirs in the film where in one scene Johan awoke Marianne during the wee hour of the night and confided to her that he felt "an anxiety that's greater than me" and that he couldn't stand to bear it. It was the night where they first slept in the same bed ever since they were separated.Johan has never looked so at ease lying there besides Marianne.