The World of Movies: Brink of Life
Written by Rachael Crawley
The World of Movies is a series that explores global cinema, drawing on films from many countries, industries and eras. This week, we hear different stories from a maternity ward in 1950s Sweden.
Brink of Life.
May contain spoilers.
Content warning: contains scenes regarding pregnancy loss.
While it is something of a cliché to pick a Bergman film for Sweden, this is one I have rarely heard about. It was highly recognized at the time and featured several Bergman regulars (such as Max von Sydow and Bibi Andersson). Still, 1958’s Brink of Life never appeared to attract the attention of a Persona or Wild Strawberries (which, along with The Seventh Seal, had been made the year before). Why, then, was this movie overlooked?
As a place where events are significant by default, and unlikely people are brought together for long periods of time, a hospital ward seems perfect for Bergman’s typical emotional themes. For the most part, this does work well. The film centres on three women – Cecilia (Ingrid Thulin), Hjördis (Andersson), and Stina (Eva Dahlbeck), all admitted to the maternity ward on the same day. Within the next few days, all will undergo enormous personal change, while mostly stuck in one small room together.
Though partners and medical staff are often present, the film’s entire emotional focus is with the three patients. Cecilia, who has had a miscarriage, discovers new clarity about her relationship with her husband. Hjördis, young and unmarried, struggles with uncertainty for the future and frequently lashes out. Only Stina seems to be in a happy situation. All three are supported by Nurse Brita (Barbro Hiort af Örnas), who lends the film a sympathetic presence. While their performances are universally good, I was particularly impressed with Dahlbeck, who adds deeper worries beneath Stina’s cheerful exterior, and then totally transforms as the film progresses.
Brink of Life.
It is easy to see that this movie came from the same filmmaker as Persona, and indeed that it was made first. So many of the same elements exist, such as the emphasis on human faces, the confined settings, and the examination of gender and institutional structures. While this movie is strong in its own right, it is missing the experimental edge that would mark some of Bergman’s most notable works. As a result, it comes off as a fairly conventional drama, and becomes a little dull. What is present here would be sharpened into something much more innovative in his other films.
That said, its straightforwardness can be refreshing. While never graphic, the movie is frank about its medical reality. It can be jarring to look at the differences of the era – a doctor is casually patronizing, treatments are heavy-handed, and wait, did they just hand one of the patients a beer? While I’m not sure this is a complete criticism of the medical system – many of the staff are kind, and there is an extended scene extolling Sweden’s many social benefits – it does give the setting a menacing aura.
Brink of Life is not the first Bergman film I would recommend, but it does offer a lot to viewers. There are four excellent lead performances. The characters are well-developed, and the film spends a great deal of time on their stories. It was, for the time, one of the most groundbreaking depictions of pregnancy onscreen. Given a stronger script and a more daring directorial approach, it would make for an excellent movie. Its actual strengths, however, are certainly worth a look.
Rachael Crawley holds a Master's Degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, and has worked with film in Canada and in Europe. She adores language and cinema, and how these subjects interact with each other.