Ingmar Bergman is the greatest Swedish director and a great influence in cinema. Along with The Seventh Seal, Fanny and Alexander, Wild Strawberries, Cries and Whispers and Persona, The Passion of Anna is one of his best. But sadly it is not as recognised as much as these and I think it should be. Visually, as always with Bergman it is remarkable. The colours are really warm in look. The cinematography and direction are superb, as are the haunting score and thought-provoking dialogue. The story I cannot praise enough, the relationship between Andreas and Anna is one of the most intense and convincing of any film from Bergman's resume, and while detached somewhat everything feels realistic and the intensity of the story and the relationship of the characters really drew me in. The characters are not likable in a way, but what they are is compellingly real, one of Bergman's greatest strengths in terms of characterisation was always his understanding of women and in my mind The Passion of Anna is one of the finest examples of that. The two lead performances are outstanding, Max Von Sydow's facial expressions and eye contact always tell a lot and Liv Ullman's acting shows many complex emotions and seamlessly, her beautiful eyes are also very expressive and telling. Overall, a brilliant film and deserves to be more regarded than it is. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Andreas Winkelman (Max von Sydow) is a recluse living in an isolated farmhouse. He meets Anna Fromm (Liv Ullmann) who is mourning her losses. Eva (Bibi Andersson) and Elis Vergerus (Erland Josephson) are a neighboring couple. Someone is torturing animals. First, a puppy is left hanging and then sheep are senselessly slaughtered. There are inserted scenes of actors doing behind-the-scenes interviews to discuss their roles.

For Ingmar Bergman acolytes, this is a secondary work. Bergman is not really my thing. I see he's looking at humanity. In this one, it is violence and distress. These are perfect natural performances. They don't necessarily excite me although the animal cruelty jolts me with the shock of it. This is not for everyone. For cinephiles or more specifically Bergman fans, this is a box that needs to be checked.

In re-watching all the Bergman films, this one was a bit more elusive. There are so many secrets here with layer upon layer put over them. Then we have the subplot of the animal torturer and killer on the island. Probably most interesting beyond the story itself is a quick analysis of each character by each of the actors who leaves his or her role for a moment. They discuss how they view their people with a great deal of depth and insight. I wonder if they were prompted or it was extemporaneous. I would guess the latter. As with most Bergman characters, the people are doomed to their suffering and offer little comfort because they are so full of angst themselves. The living Andreas is a complex bundle of nerves. If he hadn't seen the animal killer and rescued the dog, I might have seen him as unbalanced enough to do these things, himself. Of course, the story never makes point, but the thought occurred to me. Anna is a royal mess but is able to keep her composure with those tight lips and that half smile. Pushed, she becomes a powder keg. As is usually the case, their personal problems are never solved and we wonder what the next frame in the film will be. It's quite a thoughtful and frightening film.