Customer Reviews

Elvira Madigan

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This review refers to the Fox Lorber DVD edition of "Elvira Madigan"(World Class Cinema Collection)....

In this 19th century romantic/drama we find two lovers, seemingly without a care in the world,romping and playing in the beautiful forest and they are the focus of this Swedish gem. We soon learn they are escaping from their lives, and all they want is to be left alone, in their own world..one of love. He is deserting his post as an Army Lieutenant, she a young and beautiful famed tightrope walker.

Abandoning their families and careers,these romantics see nothing but the love and affection they share for each other. As the story progresses, and we are treated to some of the most gorgeuos photography throughout, their idyllic dreams begin to fall apart. Life on the run is not all they dreamed it would be for them. They are tired, hungry, and trying to avoid the world that is trying to find them.Eventually they must make a decision that has tragic consequences.

It's a beautiful, but tragic romance, not too far removed from "Romeo and Juliet" although may at times,seem a bit over the top and may remind you of those commercials, in slow motion with the lovers running into each others arms.It is however,a good story, well acted and directed,wonderful costumes, beautifully photographed, and with a great sound track including works from Mozart and Vilvaldi. From 1967,the director is expertly subtle and although these two lovers are often spontantious in their passion, you will know how they feel without the ususal R rated love scenes.

Just a beauty of a film, directed by Bo Widerberg and photographed by Jorgen Persson. The film and crew were nominated for several international awards and Pia Degermark(Elvira)won the hearts of the judges of the Cannes Film Festival(and may steal yours as well) and was awarded Best Actress.

It's a nice DVD as well. Letterboxed in what appears to be the academy ratio(1.33:1) it presents a very good picture. The exquiste cinematogrpahy of the fields, the forests and the countryside have beautiful colors. The film in Swedish will default to English subtitles, but you may delete them if you wish.(You don't see that choice too often). There are filmographies and awards and some production credits. The sound is in Stereo and is very good.

A nice addition to your romance or foreign film collection...enjoy.....Laurie

1967: This Danish film became an instant classic when it was released. The stunning film is best known for its beautiful cinematography, its classical music score and its simple but elegant tragic plot. It starred Pia Degermark, a blonde, blue-eyed willowy beauty who portrayed a late 19th century tight-rope walker, who abandoned her career in the circus to elope with her lover, an army officer. The love story is very simple, quite tragic, and full of sentimentality and melodrama that seems out of place in the 60's, but nostalgically recollects the milieu of the late 19th century.

The classical music score for the film included Mozart's piano concerto number 21, whose second movement is played almost ad nauseum in the film. It is a romantic, tender piece, expressive of a romance like that of the two lovers in this film. They share picnics in the outdoors, they make love al fresco, they seem to be inseperable. Mozart' piano concerto number 21 "andante" has in fact earned the concerto title of the "Elvira Madigan" concerto because of the success of this film. Other classical pieces include Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Chopin piano music and a JohannStrauss waltz.

Supposedly based on a true story, the lovers find that their union is illicit, and for political reasons, enemies of theirs want for them to part. The ending, in true tragic tradition, results in the suicide of the two lovers. Nonetheless, the haunting visuals, the beautiful music and everything abou this art-house legend makes Elvira Madigan truly worth getting on DVD.

When this film was originally released, it was called by many critics "possibly the most beautiful film ever made." It certainly ranks among the top few. Bo Widerberg's tale of a young circus performer who runs away with her married lover, a military officer, takes place during a golden summer in the late 19th century. Mozart's haunting background music (does anyone ever call it anything but the Elvira Madigan Theme now?) is the perfect background for the gorgeous cinematography-- a scene as ordinary as the hum of bees in a lush gold hayfield is only one of the frames that make you catch your breath at its astonishing beauty. Yet there is an underlying sense of impending tragedy that threads all through it, and winds its way to a heart-rending conclusion. This is a feast for the senses, a film that will always be a great classic of cinematography. END

When this film was originally released, it was called "possibly the most beautiful film ever made." It certainly ranks among the top few, for thegorgeous cinematography alone. It tells the tale of a young circus performer in the late 1800s, who runs away with her lover, a married officer. Mozart's stunning music (does anyone ever call it anything but the Elvira Madigan theme anymore?) is the perfect background for its beauty. A scene as ordinary as bees humming in a lush golden wheatfield is only one of the frames that make you catch your breath at its astonishing loveliness. Yet there is an underlying sense of impending tragedy that threads all through it, and winds its way to a heart-rending conclusion. This is a feast for the senses, and worth seeing again and again. END

Bo Wiederberg's classic 1800's love story of a young trapese artist's ill-fated romance with an army deserter was credited by Samuel Goldwyn and Newsweek magazine as being the most beautiful movie ever made. It was the first film to use slow motion photography as a special effect and it's english language version has the best synchronization of dubbed english to lip movements of the actors that you are likely to see. Because of the quality of the film, Mozart's Piano Concerto is now commonly known as the Elvira Madigan Theme. If this movie doesn't make you girls cry, something's wrong.

The color photography is simply ravishing .The glorious love story is a portrait of a real event of 1900 between and officer and a circus artist .
One of the ten best romantic pictures ever made .
An artistic triumph for the swedish director Bo Widerberg and undoubtly his masterpiece.

This is the most //romantic// movie I've ever watched. The love scenes are tender and sensual without resorting to nudity. Elvira and Count Sixten Sparre's doomed affair (he's married with children) is captured in the lush colors and sounds (bees humming) of a Danish summer. Their acting is subtle, natural and restrained. And they're nice to look at too :) Elvira looks like an angel with her flowing yellow hair while Sixten's darker looks complement her.

The dialogue is wonderfully poignant. In one scene, Sixten tells his army friend, "I can't fight any more. I live in the women's world now." The friend admonishes him: "She's distorted your vision." Sixten replies: "Isn't that what love is? To see the world through another's eyes?" In another scene, the friend asks Elvira: "Are you happy? Because I know one ... two ... three people who aren't." He's referring to Sixten's wife and children. Elvira, beautiful and defiant, says "I need him too." Love it!!!

The foreshadowing is particularly effective.
Elvira and Sixten's picnic begins with laughter and high spirits, but then Elvira accidentally overturns the wine decanter. They both look at one another helplessly, aware of the omen. This romance is tame compared to today's standards as it contains mild kissing and very little else, but the smoldering fire between the leads will not disappoint you. I'll never forget this film!!!

I saw this film once, in 1967 when it first came out, and I've never forgotten it. I was 21 years old, engaged, and totally enamored with love. The lovers were beautifully filmed, and their love was gloriously portrayed. But then reality intruded. Both the beauty of their love and the tragic ending have stayed with me - running through the grass chasing butterflies does not pay the bills or fill your growling belly; having a realistic plan for your life does that. It does not matter if you are gorgeous and madly in love, you can't avoid needing to work, face responsibility, and survive. I can't say that I always took the film's message to heart, but in the 40 years hence I have nonetheless reminded myself of it many times over. My 1967 love didn't last - reality intervened - but my second has lasted for 35 years. We mainly strool through the grass now, but we evolved from chasing butterflies by basing our love on its reality as well as its fantasy.

In 1967, the world was ready to accept the touching tragedy of Elvira Madigan, a Danish film presented to Americans via the art-house medium which was becoming popular. It was the 60's and the world was changing. In America, hippies advocated free love and rebelled against establishment and authorities they found stifling and oppressive, particularily because of disappointment and disillusion with the unfit government, they promoted the ideals of peace and love in a time of great violence- the Vietnam War. The romance of Elvira Madigan touched Americans at this time in much the same way that Zefferelli's Romeo and Juliet film did. In fact, at this time, such romantic films were popular. 1965 to 1969 saw The Sound Of Music and Doctor Zhivago make it big in the movies. This film is perfect for Valentine's Day. It's a period piece- set in 1859 and drawn from a true story but modernized to look 60's. The film stars Pia Degermark as the title heroine and Thommy Berggren as her lover, Sixten. The film has been criticized with the complaint that there is very little plot and that story is sacrificed by beautiful cinematography and visual scenery of the location- the countryside of Denmark. But there is a story. It's very easy to follow. Elvira Madigan, a tightrope walker from the circus, who is desired by many men (she might have been a courtesan) falls deeply in love with Sixten, an army officer or naval captain of some sort. Together, though their love is forbidden by society, they renounce the world and responsibility and run away together. They escape the authorities by hiding out in hotels and other spots. But in the end, they are nearly caught and there is no way out but suicide. They shoot themselves in the seclusion of the forest. The most remembered scene is the lovemaking- Sixten and Elvira eat a picnic al fresco in the country and make love in the grass. It's nothing pornographic or hardcore, in fact they're fully dressed and it's softcore but very romantic to watch. Enhancing the romance is Mozart's Piano Concerto 21 second movement andante, which was the love theme for the film.

The acting is satisfying for a story like this. Pia Degermark looks a bit like Julie Christie, a British actress who was popular at this time (she potrayed Lara in Doctor Zhivago, she appeared in Darling, a film about the swinging 60's London scene, and in historic epics as Far From The Maddening Crowd and The Go-Between). Thommy Bergren plays a fine handsome, heroic lead. It is the on-screen chemistry between the lovers that make the movie so successful. They are inseperable lovers who seem to come straight out of a 19th century novel. A great film, perfect to watch to get you in the mood for Valentine's Day.

I bought this as a gift for my mother and sat and watched it with her a couple of times. It's an unforgettable movie and will delight anyone who likes foreign films (note that it is subtitled). Good story line complimented by beautiful music by Vivaldi and Mozart.

If you like beautiful cinematography, classical music, an interesting tragic story-line and period drama, you'll be happy to add this film to your library.