Details
Movie Description
Ingmar Bergman revisits two of his favorite themes with THE RITE: the artist's place in society and the often troubled relationships between men and women. The film takes place in present-day Sweden. The renowned theater troupe Les Riens (French for "the Nothings"), which consists of the husband-and-wife team Hans and Thea Winkelmann (Gunnar Björnstrand and Ingrid Thulin) and Thea‘s lover, Sebastian (Anders Ek)--all three close friends--is prohibited from performing a short piece called "The Rite" and is brought before a local magistrate (Erik Hell) on charges of obscenity. The three performers are interrogated, provoked, humiliated, and tricked into disclosing their innermost secrets. Finally, the tables are turned when the group convinces the judge to let them give a private performance of the questionable piece, a mimed masque with bacchanalian overtones. Filmed with a cast of only four principal actors, this slightly surreal, somber, and sexually explicit film was originally conceived for Swedish TV (the first of several features Bergman wrote and directed with television in mind) but was subsequently released in theaters.
Synopsis
When a trio of actors is charged with obscenity during a variety show, they must plead their innocence before a judge. During the trial, the three explore the personal reasons behind their open sexuality and their love-hate relationships. Ingmar Bergman's surreal film is a masterful examination of the artist's place in society.
Film Notes
Theatrical release: September 18, 1969 (New York City).
Premiered on Swedish television on March 25, 1969.
Ingmar Bergman has a cameo appearance as a priest in a confessional.
Industry Reviews
"[A] searing psycho-drama....The film makes queasy, claustrophobic viewing."
Sight and Sound - Geoffrey Macnab (03/01/2005)
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