Review of Sawdust and Tinsel

Introduction

Made in 1953, `Sawdust and Tinsel` was originally entitled `The Naked Light` and is a beautifully shot and directed piece, full of surreal Nordic intensity.

The movie opens with a strange and discordant score, as we see silhouettes
of a sorry looking circus make their way across a bleak panorama. The circus is back in town.

The fat, old ringmaster is rallying his tired troupe of outsiders to yet another location in an endless circle of subsistence living. Absolutely broke, and with little hope of improving their lot, the whole parade looks worn down. (There`s something of the atmosphere of `Freaks` here).

Perhaps in flashback, we cut to the unhinged wife of Frost the Clown (Gudren Brost) making her way to the same beach occupied by an army platoon. Possibly starved of any excitement, and goaded on by the men, she soon starts to bathe naked in the sea, frolicking with some of the men, tragically unaware of the laughter of the remainder. A boy runs back to the caravan to tell Frost the Clown who, despite being in full costume, runs down to witness the scene and to retrieve his wife by literally carrying her up back up the hill, frequently collapsing as he does so.

And so starts this incredible movie.

The circus eventually arrives at a small remote town - which is where the ringmaster`s ex-wife and children live, running a small shop and enjoying their simple uncomplicated life.

The ringmaster`s beautiful young mistress (Harriet Andersson, Bergman`s own lover at the time) is scared that he will want to return to his wife, and leave the relentless hardship of life on the road forever.

The master, Albert (Åke Grönberg) rallies the troupe (who have lost their costumes) by suggesting that he and his mistress will go to the local theatre to see if they can borrow some costumes. When visiting, it is clear that an arrogant young actor is mesmerised by Albert`s mistress and would do anything to bed her.

And here the tragedy begins. Albert visits his wife and, impressed by how well she has kept house, begs to be allowed to come back home. His wandering days are over.

In the meantime, his Mistress returns to the theatre, and allows herself to be cruelly seduced by the young man, who offers her jewellery in return for her favours, agreeing that he will `never tell`. She agrees.

After Albert`s wife turns him back on to the street, he sees his mistress leave the theatre and enter the pawnbrokers. Realising what has happened he is reduced to tears. When he comes back to his caravan, neither speaks, knowing telepathically that each has let the other down.

Things then go from bad to worse. Drinking all afternoon with Frost the clown, the evening show descends to a brawl as he calls the young actor out for a fight. The actor beats him to within an inch of his life in front of his own troupe and all the audience - the final humiliation

Suicidal and depressed, he then fails to commit suicide (the gun is faulty or unloaded), but succeeds in shooting the circus bear, to `put it out of its misery`. He then falls to the stable floor in a fit of tears, having reached the bottom of a long descent.

Curiously, Bergman then allows some light onto this bleak, existential landscape. The circus rallies round and sets off to a future location. After all, they have no choice. Life must go on for good or ill.

Video

Presented in its original aspect ratio ( 1.37:1 ), this film looks absolutely fantastic here. Its deeply contrasting monochrome looks great with really well-defined grey scale and almost flawless blacks. There is also very little wear and tear, showing that this was a first-class print and a well tendered transfer. Excellent!

Audio

Mono Dolby Digital, this is a perfectly acceptable period soundtrack, made more intereting with occasional music that is often discordant. There are also moments where you would expect sound (Frost the Clown`s scream at his wife`s humiliation on front of the platoon of solders is inaudible), though this is all part and parcel of Bergman`s unique art.

Features

In common with a `The Devil`s Eye` Tartan release, this has identical trailers for Persona and Autumn Sonata. The Persona trailer is hilarious, with an overly earnest American voice-over talking exitedly about the movie as an intellectual, artistic masterpiece. Bergman himself, despite creating often complex and difficult movies was never interested in this type of posturing, preferring the company of ordinary men, and especially hating over intellectualised rationalisations of his work.

It`s a shame that there is nothing further on this release.

Conclusion

`Sawdust and Tinsel` is an incredible film. Not only was it Bergman`s first outing with arguably his best ever director of photography, Sven Nykvist, but it is a powerful and compelling drama, full of pathos and dark humour. In common with many of Bergman`s prolific output, it uses a strange mix of stark realism and bizarre surrealism to weave a sublime and tragic reflection of the human condition.

If it sounds like tough viewing, well it sort of is and it isn`t. It`s certainly harrowing at times, with attempted suicides, men in tears, and grotesque humiliations. But it`s also an exquisite film to watch - utterly bewitching, beautifully shot, with incredible performances from the cast, not least from Harriet Andersson, Bergman`s lover of the time, who is breath-taking in the role of the Ringmaster`s lover.

Not all of Bergman`s work is this good or this accessible. It`s a very good place to start if you are inquisitive about this much-lauded filmmaker, without whom David Lynch and Woody Allen amongst others would never have been inspired to make movies.

Tartan seems to be releasing a whole host of Bergman`s work individually (and in bumper disc set costing circa £300). This relatively early work comes as a fine transfer, though with little in the way of extras. Nonetheless, when squared up against other Bergman releases (like `The Devil`s Eye`) then this is the obvious choice. Superb!