Journey to Italy
Their following effort was "Viaggio in Italia (Journey to Italy)" in 1954. It follows a couple's journey to Naples, Italy to sell off an inherited house. Trapped in a lifeless marriage, they are further unnerved by the locals' way of living. According to John Patterson of "The Guardian", the film started The French New Wave. Martin Scorsese picked this film to be among his favorites in his documentary short in 2001. On 17 February 1955, "Joan at the Stake" opened at the Stockholm Opera House. The play was attended by the prime minister and other theatrical figures in Sweden. "Swedish Daily" reported that Bergman seems vague, cool and lack of charisma. Bergman was hurt by mostly negative reviews from the media of her native land. Stig Ahlgren was the most harsh when he labelled her a clever businesswoman, not an actress. "Ingrid is a commodity, a desirable commodity which is offered in the free market." Another effort they released that year was "Giovanna d'Arco al rogo."