What it’s about
As a young girl in Sweden, Ingrid Bergman dreamed of achieving fame as an actress. In her mid-twenties, with a few Swedish films under her belt, she was invited to Hollywood by David O. Selznick. “Intermezzo”, her first American film, led to “Casablanca” and finally, an Oscar for “Gaslight” in 1944. Several years later, she broke with her first husband Petter Lindstrom and moved to Italy with director Roberto Rossellini. The ensuing scandal almost destroyed her career, but eventually she’d return in triumph.
Why we love it
With a highly personal approach, Bjorkman uses Bergman’s own letters and diaries to focus tightly on the woman rather than the film icon. Bergman’s own children (one with Petter, three with Rossellini) provide insight and demonstrate a remarkable equanimity about a mother who was frequently absent. With actress Alicia Vikander as the voice of Bergman, this in-depth portrait reveals an ambitious woman whose illustrious career seemed to give her all she needed.