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Elvira Madigan (1967 film)
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Wikipedia article
'Elvira Madigan' is a 1967 Swedish film directed by Bo Widerberg, based on the tragedy of the Danish slackrope dancer Hedvig Jensen (born 1867), working under the stage name of Elvira Madigan at her stepfather's travelling circus, who runs away with the Swedish nobleman lieutenant Sixten Sparre (born 1854).
Plot
Elvira Madigan and Sixten Sparre are together in the Danish countryside, having run away together and abandoned their past lives. Sparre has renounced the military and now claims to be "on the women's side." Elvira, who was the main attraction at her circus, has got her identity back and starts to refer to herself with her real name Hedvig.
A friend from Sparre's regiment tries to persuade him to come back, but fails. They have no money or future and try to fish and earn money the best they can. Hedvig sells a picture of herself drawn by Toulouse-Lautrec and is paid to entertain a party with her dancing. Eventually, Sparre shot her to death and then took his own life.
Cast
* Pia Degermark - Hedvig Jensen, "Elvira Madigan"
* Thommy Berggren - Lt. Sixten Sparre
* Lennart Malmer - Kristoffer
* Cleo Jensen - Cleo
* Yvonne Ingdal - Elvira Madigan's voice
Soundtrack
The soundtrack features Gza Anda [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061620/ IMDb: Elvira Madigan (1967)] playing the Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C by Mozart, which is now sometimes referred to as the "Elvira Madigan" Concerto, as well as Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons'.
Anda's Deutsche Grammophon LP of Concerto No. 21 was re-issued with a cover showing Pia Degermark in costume in a still from the film.[http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.audiophileusa.com/covers400water/90617.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.audiophileusa.com/item.cfm%3Frecord%3D90617&usg=__4YHdURJiFoVAppI6d3KtcyOU2Q4=&h=391&w=400&sz=85&hl=en&start=2&zoom=1&tbnid=dnPPwhUxsIcdBM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=124&ei=IGe1T97vCIrH6AH-qvDnDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgeza%2Banda%2Belvira%2Bmadigan%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1 Gza Anda, Mozart, Piano Concertos 17 & 21]
Awards and nominations
* 'BAFTA Awards'
** Best Cinematography (Persson, nominated)
** Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles (Degermark, nominated)
* 'Cannes Film Festival'
** Best Actress (Degermark, 'won')
** Golden Palm (Widerberg, nominated)
* 'Golden Globe Awards'
** Best Foreign-Language Foreign Film (nominated)
** Most Promising Newcomer - Female (Degermark, nominated)
* 'National Board of Review'
** Best Foreign Language Film ('won')
Critical responses
According to the 'Time Out Film Guide': "Candidate for the prettiest pic ever award. ... you may be enchanted by it if you don't laugh yourself sick."'Time Out Film Guide 2009', 2008, Time Out Guides, p312; 'Time Out Chicago' [http://www.timeout.com/film/chicago/reviews/63823/Elvira_Madigan.html website] . Describing it as breathing the "hippie mid-sixties", Edgardo Cozarinsky writes: "Though the lovers are there as early instances of drop-outs, and several contemporary readings effortlessly emerge, Widerberg's real concern is with the sensuous presence of cream and berry juice on lips and fingertips". For Widerberg, "this affirmation in the face of death carries ... the weight of a modest but combative ideological point".Edgardo Cozarinsky "Bo Widerberg and Swedish Cinema since 1960", in Richard Roud (ed) 'Cinema: A Critical Dictionary: The Major Film-Makers, Volume Two, Kinugasa to Zanussi', 1980, London: Secker & Warburg, p1077
See also
* 'Elvira Madigan' (1943 film)
* 'Elvira Madigan' (Danish film released 21 October 1967)
References
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