At the Circus

Sawdust and Tinsel is a study in humiliation and sadism. Albert Johansson, a middle-aged circus owner has forsaken his family for Anna, a proud, passionate equestrienne, who eventually allows herself to be seduced by a neurotic young actor. Albert takes to drink and mercilessly taunts Anna and an elderly clown who has previously been involved in a scandal over his wife. After Albert has been beaten in a fight with the actor, he attempts suicide. He fails, and he and Anna continue their hellish life together in charge of the circus.

In this film, Bergman lakes a long sustained look at the darkest side of the human personality. The plot development includes scenes of hysteria, sadism, eroticism, nudity and is often reminiscent of the masochistic German school of the 1920s. There is some truth and pity in the characterisation of the circus director and his mistress, aided by a powerful Jannings-esque performance by Ake Gronberg and a sulky, sensual one by Harriet Andersson.

The success of the lift sequence in Waiting Women led to its full development as a basis for Bergman's next comedy En Lektion I Karlek (A Lesson in Love) 1954, his first. Bjornstrand plays the part of a successful doctor, married with a 16-year-old daughter. He has an affair with a patient while his wife returns to a former lover. They are brought to their senses by their daughter.

Bergman's comic flair, even, or especially, in this reworking, did not shine. The usual Bergman motifs appeared, especially the use of Bjornstrand as the pompous, middle-aged foolish Casanova. Slapstick crept in, along with farce, and the comic dialogue wasn't particularly funny. The final lapse of taste, involving reconciliation in front of a fake Cupid, has been particularly well hammered by the critics, though they praised Eva Dahlbeck's and Harriet Andersson's performances for transcending their material.

The story' of Kvinnodrom (Journey Into Autumn) a 1954 film, was similar to that in Thirst in its theme of sexual humiliation and treatment. Again, the performances by Bjornstrand, Dahlbeck, Andersson and Ulf Palme were better than the material deserved. One obvious feature of the film was Bergman's deliberately sadistic treatment of an elderly man's infatuation. The plot was poor, and the over-use of "significant" signs and details made some of it overly pretentious.