2020 Blind Spot Series: The Seventh Seal (1957)

Although it's Fanny and Alexander the film I've been meaning to watch the most, I thought I'd start my journey into the world of Ingmar Bergman with the Blind Spot Series with one of the Swedish filmmaker's first films, The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet), a film I've heard nothing but great things about over the years. Needless to say, the film turned out to be a huge disappointment as I found it to be a pretentious and tedious film. Or maybe I'm just not smart enough to get it.

The film opens with a passage from the Book of Revelation, from which it takes its title, and then shifts its focus on a rocky beach where we meet Antonious Block (Max von Sydow), a Swedish knight returning home from the crusades to find his land ravished by the Black Plague. On that beach, there's the personification of Death (Bengt Ekerot) waiting for him. Block challenges Death to a game of chess, the outcome of which will determine Block's fate. 

As Block and his Squire, Jöns (Gunnar Björnstrand), continue their trek home and Block continues the game of chess when they stop to rest, Block and Jöns stumble across another group of travellers, an acting troupe — Jof (Nils Poppe), the juggler, his wife, Mia (Bibi Anderson), their infant son Mikael, and actor and manager Jonas Skat (Erik Strandmark) — and they will eventually travel together seeking shelter in Block's castle. However, Death is a constant companion on their journeys. 

One of the issues I had with The Seventh Seal is the story. While the misleading plot I read plenty of times over the years wasn't much of a problem — I went in thinking the whole plot was Block playing chess with Death and discussing death, faith, and the likes —, I soon lost all interest in the plot as it is a more-or-less boring and disconnected series of vignettes. And it wouldn't have bothered me as much if the film's themes, specifically the search for faith and God, appealed to me. Which unfortunately didn't. 

Another issue I had with Bergman's film is the characters. While Block makes for quite a compelling main character as he is an enigmatic and deep character with an inner conflict that drives the film, and made memorable by Max von Sydow's subtle performance, the rest of the characters aren't nearly as interesting, starting from Block's assistant, Jöns, to the group of travelling performers who are very annoying. And I don't know if it was just me — I'm in such a state lately I'm starting to think I have dementia — but the actors kind of look alike, and I sometimes confused characters.

Something we can all agree on though is that The Seventh Seal has excellent and powerful black-and-white cinematography by Gunnar Fischer, a very effective musical score, and great sets and costumes.

Overall though, the film just didn't work for me. And it sucks because I really wanted to join the Bergman-love wagon. If there's a Bergman film you think I might enjoy, please tell me.