Smiles of a Summer Night

Smiles of a Summer Night is a critically acclaimed 1955 romantic comedy from Sweden, masterfully directed by the legendary Ingmar Bergman. The film is set in the late 19th Century and focuses on the romantic tangles of four men and four women. It's a charming and cheeky exploration of love, desire, and the human heart, at once light and profound. This Swedish film, superbly shot in black and white, successfully delves into the complex maze of romance, offering humorous insights into the universal themes of love, marriage, fidelity, and infidelity.

The film stars a powerhouse ensemble of talented actors consisting of Ulla Jacobsson, Eva Dahlbeck, Harriet Andersson, and several other veteran actors of Bergman’s repertoire. All of them expertly convey the intricate interrelations, emotional veils, and subtle humor that Bergman's screenplay demands. Ulla Jacobsson brilliantly portrays the naive and shy Anne, a young wife to Fredrik Egerman (Gunnar Björnstrand). She's caught in a marital bind, for her much older husband, Fredrik, can't keep his mind off his former flame, the glamorous actress Desiree Armfeldt, played by Eva Dahlbeck. Harriet Andersson brings the complex and flirtatious maid Petra to life, who also has her romantic pursuits tangled in this capricious web of love and desire.

The complexity of the characters is highlighted by the intricate plot of the story. The middle-aged lawyer Fredrik finds himself drawn to his former lover Desiree despite his marriage to the 19-year-old Anne, who remains a virgin. Desiree herself, a famous actress, maintains an affair with the virile young Count Malcolm (Jarl Kulle) but seems to be carrying a torch for Fredrik, her former lover. The maid Petra, however, has a more earthy attitude towards romance, involving herself with Fredrik's son, Henrik (Björn Bjelfvenstam), who is also infatuated with his step-mother, Anne.

An invitation to a midsummer eve party at Desiree’s mother’s country estate triggers the climax of these intertwined romantic capers, gracefully pulled together by the clever Desiree with the intent to untangle the romantic knots. The party, filled with sly wit and humorous exchanges, leads to a series of dramatic turn of events.

What sets Smiles of a Summer Night apart from other films in the romantic comedy genre is the sophistication with which it addresses the theme of romance and presents its characters. It's a dance of theatricality and poker-faced farce that mirrors the dynamics of true-life relationships, exposing the follies of love and the universality of desire. The film effortlessly combines levity and melancholy and elevates romantic frivolity to the level of wisdom and introspection.

Ingmar Bergman style comes to the fore in his use of the midsummer night, traditionally associated in Sweden with magic and mystery. Bergman employs the night and the light to full effect. The luminosity of the “white nights” is captured beautifully as he synchronizes the light with the mood and rhythm of the narrative. The use of the revolving bed, the "smiles of a summer night", the radiant natural settings - everything contributes to the film's fantastical atmosphere and the magical reality of a midsummer night, where love, and lust appear as the supreme jesters.

The screenplay, acclaimed for its supreme wit and intelligent humor, situates comedy within life’s conditions. Bergman's dialogues are marked by an almost poetic artfulness, humorous and profound at the same time, revealing his understanding of human nature and his belief in love’s power to enlighten and heal.

Smiles of a Summer Night is known for its enlightening exploration of the many facets of love and the complex dynamics of relationships. It unwraps the comedies of life and love and contemplates them with a knowing smile. Bergman pairs outright hilarity with underlying melancholy to create a balance that's refreshing and arguably poetic. The film’s romantic escapades, presented beautifully against the enchanting backdrop of the Swedish midsummer night, remain one of the most delightful works by Ingmar Bergman.