(1950; b/w, Swedish, subtitles) Ingmar Bergman's film of the twin joys of a tragic couple (expressing themes similar to those in Thirst) begins with the final movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and a phone call informing a violinist of an accident. He races home - the chorus singing "Ode to Joy" - to be told that his wife has been killed and his daughter burned when the kerosene stove exploded.

Seven years earlier two young violinists, Stig Ericsson (Stig Olin) and Marta Olsson (Maj-Britt Nilsson), arrived in the autumn as new members of the orchestra; Marta is the only female in the symphony, about whom the conductor (Victor Sjöström) remarks is a person of some talent though her being there is rather unnatural. Temperamental, conceited, selfish, and inebriated, Stig goes into a tirade at Marta's birthday party, accusing everyone there of being lazy and dedicated to getting a retirement pension while real talent is created out of unhappiness to which he will dedicate himself.

Nonetheless, Marta finds something appealing about Stig, telling him, "I'm happy." Asking him, if she consents to sleep with him, will he remain with her (at first he demurs), she then confesses that her previous marriage had been mostly lies and deception; now she's seeking something meaningful with honesty, without delusions. She invites him to move in with her as a practical affair to save money and see what happens.

Three months later when Marta reveals she's pregnant, Stig berates her for not telling him sooner ("How did this happen?" he whines; "In the usual way," she replies), questions the paternity of the baby, says he hates children, complaining that the responsibility of a child and the noise will disturb his practicing his music. After making her cry, Stig relents and apologizes in his fashion: they marry in a civil ceremony.

Six months later the conductor reluctantly agrees to Stig's taking on the role of violin soloist for the orchestra, but his performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto is a disappointment. In his self-pity he wants to be alone; Marta desires his company. Accepting for the time being his mediocrity and returning to his former position in the orchestra, Stig takes pleasure in his wife's giving birth to twins.

Three years later the conductor fondly considers the harmonious relationship of his friends, Stig and Marta, and their ability to communicate in a duet through a secret language of love that transcends even the musical creations of the great musicians. However, recognizing as well that Stig's ambition has not yet discovered his actual ability, the conductor humbly informs Stig that even second-raters are necessary.

Soon afterward the matrimonial bliss suffers from Marta's revulsion of sexual congress, resulting in (or resulting from?) Stig's taking a mistress, Nelly, the young wife of his older friend Mikael Bror. Stig makes little attempt to conceal from Marta his love affair and accuses her, as if giving himself an excuse, of having been something of a tramp between her two marriages (basing his view on what one of Marta's former suitors had said of her). Blind to his own inadequacies and to his wife's virtues, he beats her; Marta departs with her twins to reside with her grandmother.

Eventually Stig realizes that his relationship with Nelly is corrupt (her husband lies dying from a stroke while she accepts the attentions of a lodger, Marta's former suitor) and writes to Marta of his newfound appreciation of her, repenting of his earlier conduct. She reciprocates with fresh hope and expectation of their reunion, for she desires "never to be alone again."

After the tragedy of the domestic detonation, Stig stoically resumes his chair in the string section of the orchestra. Life goes on; one does what one is capable of doing. The end of the film begins with the conductor coaching the chorus as to the meaning of joy in Beethoven's last symphony: "a joy beyond understanding." As the contra-basses pick up the Fourth Movement's theme, which the celli lift higher, Stig's young son enters the rehearsal and takes a seat, and Stig smiles as he and the violins raise the theme to its summit.

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Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
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