Review: Summer with Monika

Directed by: Ingmar Bergman

Written by: Ingmar Bergman

Starring: Harriet Andersson, Lars Ekborg, John Harryson, Georg Skarstedt, Dagmar Ebbesen

Rating: [3.5/5]

Anyone can have an affair with another individual, especially during a short period of time as the individual can have all of the positives that come with a relationship with another person without all of the aspects making it difficult. This includes sustained communication, the reality of living in the world together, and simply existing as functioning adults. The fall from grace serves as one of the major reasons “the honeymoon phase” exists when speaking on relationships, which Summer with Monika delves right into. 

Harry (Lars Ekborg), a working-class citizen, meets the adventurous Monika (Harriet Andersson), and the two strike up an affair. Their relationship begins as quite fiery and sexually liberating, but things begin to complicate when they learn Monika is pregnant and they must deal with the reality of them staying together long-term. 

Everything is fun and games until someone gets pregnant, as Summer with Monika displays in the way it splits the dynamic between Harry and Monika into two distinct phases. One where they have their affair without real tethers to each other and then when she gets pregnant and shifts places with reality bearing down on them. The demeanor and attitude they have towards each other shifts in a major way, which makes sense but really exposes the true nature of these characters and what they do when this dream they built up for each other shatters apart right before them. 

Therefore in this feature, we receive the dream of romance and the reality of a relationship. Two elements can certainly co-exist but certainly require some work, which proves difficult for the couple in this feature. The idolization of someone works out well until you share DNA with them and must deal with a crying baby you both share a burden of responsibility to care for. This comes in hard for these characters but through it all, it certainly displays what makes the dream element so appealing from the start. 

Speaking on this film without touching upon its legacy would feel like a disservice, but what initially made this feature so famous came from the nudity on display. For something released initially in 1953 in Sweden and then two years later in the United States, this feature displays the full nudity of lead actor Harriet Andersson, which occurred while at the beach. A moment that certainly took me by surprise when initially watching it because nudity and black-and-white films rarely exist as a combination, especially in the year of its release. It became this salacious piece making it quite the movie to watch for individuals all coming from watching Harriet Andersson on the beach. With Bergman in a romantic relationship with Andersson when filming this, he wanted this to be a showcase piece for her and it certainly delivered in more than one way. 

The way Bergman photographs Andersson in these scenes aligns very much with their working relationship with the many other collaborations they have following this one. Andersson has enjoyed portraying more sexually open characters in Bergman’s films. Especially when surrounded by characters seeking to have a bit more modesty. It presents a way of living where she remains unafraid of the consequences of it in her portrayal as Monika and the same with what she does in Smiles of a Summer Night and All These Women. She completely captivates on screen through this character not only capturing the attention of Harry, but also us as a audience as it becomes quite evident why Harry would want to throw everything away to be with her. She allows for some shortsightedness to get in the way of the red flags that exist in the relationship ultimately serving as one of the bigger takeaways of the entire feature. 

Ingmar Bergman has always been a bold filmmaker and what he crafts in Summer with Monika early in his career demonstrates just how much he works through his vision. Something incredibly visceral in its storytelling and very sexually liberating as he gives Harriet Andersson the opportunity to shine through her performance as Monika. Their collaboration in this feature proved their partnership, even if the romantic element fell off, still would render incredible results and history definitely demonstrated just that. Quite the film here and definitely one deserving of admiration for the intoxicating way in which it depicts all of the perks of a sexual relationship until the consequences of one wail at the top of its lungs wake you up in the middle of the night.