Pretty much if Bergman did a standard revenge thriller, which is disappointing to come from a man so thoughtful and so rooted in morality. But like any other Bergman film, there are moments in this I'll never forget.

Can't decide between this and the Seventh Seal, but this is definitely one of my favourite Bergmans. The mood is very powerful throughout, the story flows easily and the acting is brilliant. What else can you expect from Max von Sydow, though?

Not nearly as simple as it seems, and about far more than revenge when examined with a close eye. Underneath the surface runs a steady current of Christian morality that defines the characters. Those apathetic/not conscious of their violations of this value system are consumed, those beholden to their misdeeds struggle to assuage their guilt. All are imprisoned by a theology so distant it cannot possibly speak to the individual, leaving even the faithful clambering in the dark for meaning.

This movie is really sad and filled me with a sense of dread throughout the entire running time. Great use of foreshadowing and the cinematography is unbelievably good. Max von Sydow's face owns

It has an odd fairytale air to it - a genuine fairytale, I mean, with cruelty and horrible things happening to innocents. I love the period, which the cinematography captures with flair, and I'm a big fan of Gunnel Lindblom here, who is possibly the sexiest woman in a Bergman ever.

Haunting and beautiful.

"Represents the primary nexus between Bergman's austere but accessibly recherché works of the 1950s and his downright ascetic 1960s cinema." - Eric Henderson

the ending's a bit of a letdown

In a way The Virgin Spring embodies everything that is great about Bergman. It's intimate and quiet, and yet grandiose, even operatic simultaneously. The film is structurally simple in a way that I found kind of humbling and beautiful. That's true of most of Bergman's films, but it really stood out here.

A lot less complex than most of Bergman's films, but still thematically rich and wonderful to look at, with a fantastic performance by von Sydow.

Such a beautiful film. Some scenes, while not necessarily graphic, will stick with you. I was thinking about the movie the entire day after I saw it.

707

An intense, moving movie by Bergman. Chock full of symbolism about faith and rebirth, the movie's plot is refreshingly simple, but the emotions and actions of the characters are deep and real. The best here is Max von Sydow as the stoic father who is faced with an abrupt, indescribably painful revelation. The decision he makes and the actions he takes are intense, gruesome, heartbreaking and unforgettable - and I would use those same adjectives to describe The Virgin Spring as a whole.

I might get tired of repeating how brillant Bergman and Nykvist were but i cannot see me getting tired of watching their magic. The Virgin Spring might be some sort of an 'easy Bergman' but got all one could expect from the two magicians. Brillant pace, mindblowing cinematography and of course Max von Sydow who is outstanding. 05/01/2010

Bergman decides to make a Christian parable out of the Middle Ages. That's it. It's simple and straightforward and wonderfully succinct.

Brutally stark, hard to watch. A thankless experience.

I can't find much fault with this movie. It's brutal examination of some of life's greatest dualities: vengeance vs. forgiveness, good vs. evil.

Another outstanding religious drama from Bergman. He takes on vengeance and the silence of God. It covers a lot of ground that his other films do, but is crafted with his usual expertise so it's never a bother. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, though.

It's easy to see the inspiration behind "Last House on the Left" and "I Spit on Your Grave", the films that popularized the rape revenge sub-genre, in "The Virgin Spring", unfortunetly that's one of the most interesting things about the film. As expected, the cinematography and themes are the best points but the film is bogged down with far too many awkward scenes and what should be the main shock leaves no impact at all.

It's a beautiful, strangely haunting film, typically full of Bergman's stunning photography and some great performances. It won't go down as one of my favourite Bergman films, but even when Bergman wasn't firing on all cylinders he was still twice as good as pretty much anyone else out there! The final 20 minutes or so are particuarly brilliant, with the final scene a beautiful and emotional climax.

One of the hardest films I've seen.

Max Von Sydow picks up and throws a dude. That should be enough.

#740

A beautifully realized tragedy, and one of the few films Bergman directed but did not write. The black and white photography from Nykvist pops off the screen, while Von Sydow appropriately looks cut from an ancient religious icon. The film is built on a visually-oriented language that highlights shadow and closed spaces. Only in the final moments, when Von Sydow awkwardly collapses in front of the stream, do we get any real sense of freedom of movement.