Sawdust and Tinsel

Sawdust and Tinsel (Swedish: Gycklarnas afton, lit. 'The Evening of the Jesters') is a 1953 Swedish drama film directed by Ingmar Bergman.

Sawdust and Tinsel
Film poster
Directed by	Ingmar Bergman
Written by	Ingmar Bergman (uncredited)
Produced by	Rune Waldekranz
Starring	Åke Grönberg Harriet Andersson Hasse Ekman
Cinematography	Hilding Bladh Sven Nykvist
Edited by	Carl-Olov Skeppstedt
Distributed by	Sandrew-Baumanfilm AB
Release date	14 September 1953 (1953-09-14)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	Sweden
Language	Swedish

Plot

In Sawdust and Tinsel, Bergman portrays a disturbing battle between the sexes within a circus setting. The story follows the clown Frost, who discovers that a beautiful lady bathing nude is actually his wife. The circus owner, Albert, and his mistress, Anne are facing financial difficulties and relationship problems. They seek help from a theatre director, who insults their appearance but lends them clothes. Anne encounters a man named Frans, who pursues her despite her rejection. The circus members face humiliation and horse confiscation from the police. Anne pleads with Albert not to leave her, but he remains determined to return to his wife. Anne turns to Frans for support, leading to a sexual encounter. Albert discovers the truth and confronts Anne, resulting in a chaotic scene. The circus prepares for a performance, during which Albert and Frans engage in a physical fight. Albert contemplates suicide but ultimately shoots the circus bear instead. The circus moves on, and Albert and Anne share a meaningful glance.

Cast

• Åke Grönberg as Albert Johansson
• Harriet Andersson as Anne
• Hasse Ekman as Frans
• Anders Ek as Frost
• Gudrun Brost as Alma
• Annika Tretow as Agda
• Erik Strandmark as Jens
• Gunnar Björnstrand as Mr. Sjuberg
• Curt Löwgren as Blom

Reception

It has a 100% approval rating from 9 reviews listed at Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 8/10.^[1] The film ranked 6th on Cahiers du Cinéma's Top 10 Films of the Year List in 1957.^[2] In 2012 it was voted one of the 25 best Swedish films of all time.^[3] The film was shown as part of an Ingmar Bergman Retrospective at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival in 2011.^[4]

References

1. "Gycklarnas afton (Sawdust and Tinsel)(Sunset of a Clown)(The Naked Night) (1953)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
2. Johnson, Eric C. "Cahiers du Cinema: Top Ten Lists 1951-2009". alumnus.caltech.edu. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
3. "De 25 bästa svenska filmerna genom tiderna". Flm (in Swedish). 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
4. "Berlinale 2011: Ingmar Bergman Retrospective". berlinale. Retrieved 10 April 2012.

External links

• Sawdust and Tinsel at IMDb
• Sawdust and Tinsel at the Swedish Film Institute Database
• Sawdust and Tinsel at Rotten Tomatoes
• Sawdust and Tinsel: The Lower Depths an essay by John Simon at the Criterion Collection