In Reply to: Wild Strawberries… “A – Swedish – Christmas Carol� A “Scrooge†of the soul? Or…? posted by sjb on March 18, 2007 at 18:36:11:
over intellectualize! :--)
You raise many fascinating points. I'll just mention a couple: I thought, perhaps, he was present in the scenes he showed, he just didn't envision himself in the memory of them.
Second, from his interactions with the housekeeper, I thought he showed his curmudgeonly self. I thought Bergman was being "straight" in telling us this (through other characters). In fact, I think it's a powerful part of the film, the old man realizing his nature and finally finding peace in his last times from a contemplation of his earlier life.
The power of a father's personality to influence his son also evaporates under your analysis.
But, different interpretations are fine: that's the hallmark of a great work of art, it's not easily pigeon-holed.
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Follow Ups
- Well, I'm glad you just "let the film take you away" and don't - tinear 06:14:49 03/19/07 (6)
- :-) - sjb 08:28:45 03/19/07 (5)
- "post facto ascribed subtexts" - afilado 11:30:00 03/19/07 (4)
- phenterine - phenterine 07:15:31 04/27/07 (0)
- "Did [Beethoven]... set out to make great art?" Certainly not *lasting* art; he had no concept. (But Mahler did...) nt - clarkjohnsen 10:54:51 03/20/07 (1)
- Beethoven had no concept of lasting art? What's scary is that you mean it. nt - tinear 16:56:31 03/20/07 (0)
- Re: "post facto ascribed subtexts" - sjb 17:18:52 03/19/07 (0)