Ingmar Bergman’s first English language film continues his investigation of the human psyche and contemporary existential anguish and alienation. Elliott Gould is an American archaeologist visting Sweden who is welcomed into the house of Andreas and Karin (Max Von Sydow and Bibi Andersson). The American falls in love with Karin and the ensuing relationship forces her to examine her beliefs regarding marriage, family and status. However, as her affair continues she is forced to re-evaluate what it is that has drawn her to the American. Their relationship is frustrated by the insecurities and silences of people unable to find ways of communicating desire and truth. As in all his films, Bergman’s “The Touch” is part of an imtimate cinematic exploration: intense, controversial and painfully honest. Bergman’s remarkable ouvre is one of cinema’s most outstanding pleasures and the cinematography is by his longtime collaborator, Sven Nykvist.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
306889
Language
English
Audience classification
MA
Subject categories
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Adultery
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)