The Seventh Seal (1958)

About The Seventh Seal

The Seventh Seal is a Swedish film released in 1958, directed by the renowned filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. The movie dives deep into the subjects of faith, death, and existential dread, set against a backdrop of the Black Death period in Europe.

The story revolves around a knight named Antonius Block, returning home from the Crusades to find his homeland gripped by the plague. He encounters Death and challenges it to a game of chess, seeking to buy time to reach his home and wife. The plot further explores his meetings with various people from different walks of life, each character providing a thoughtful reflection of humanity.

Making / Production

The Seventh Seal was written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Its allegorical narrative presents a symbolic journey reflecting on religion, life and death. The film has been widely appreciated for its distinctive black-and-white cinematography by Gunnar Fischer and profound existential themes.

Actors

• Max von Sydow as Antonius Block - Sydow excellently portrayed the angst and existential dread of a knight returning from the Crusades in a quest for answers about life, death, and the existence of God.
• Bengt Ekerot as Death - Ekerot's striking portrayal of Death is considered iconic, personifying the character with an eerie calm and inevitability.
• Gunnel Lindblom as girl - Lindblom played a mute servant girl, offering a voice to the voiceless through her emotional performance.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The chess game between Death and the Knight is one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.
• The "seventh seal" refers to a biblical passage from the Book of Revelation used in the film as a metaphor for the journey of life and the finality of death.
• Despite the film's setting in the Middle Ages, Bergman intended it to be a reflection on modern anxieties about the Cold War.

Awards

The Seventh Seal is highly acclaimed and has won numerous awards including the 'Special Jury Prize' at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival.

Quotes

• "I met Death today. We are playing chess."
• "This is my hand. I can move it. Life is so wonderful."
• "Faith is a torment. It is like loving someone who is out there in the darkness but never appears, no matter how loudly you call."

Music/Soundtrack

• The movie's poignant soundtrack was composed by Erik Nordgren, Bergman’s frequent musical collaborator. It perfectly complemented the film's sombre themes and medieval setting.