ComedyRomance

Smiles of a Summer Night

- A Sexy Frolic About the Sport of Love

Early in the 20th century, middle-aged lawyer Fredrik Egerman and his young wife, Anne, have still not consummated their marriage, while Fredrik's son finds himself increasingly attracted to his new stepmother. To make matters worse, Fredrik's old flame Desiree makes a public bet that she can seduce him at a romantic weekend retreat where four couples convene, swapping partners and pairing off in unexpected ways.

Release Date : 1955-12-26

Language :Swedish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : SF Studios

Production Country : Sweden

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Fredrik Egerman

Original Name : Gunnar Björnstrand

Gender : Male

Character Name : Anne Egerman

Original Name : Ulla Jacobsson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Desirée Armfeldt

Original Name : Eva Dahlbeck

Gender : Female

Character Name : Petra

Original Name : Harriet Andersson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Countess Charlotte Malcolm

Original Name : Margit Carlqvist

Gender : Female

Character Name : Count Carl Magnus Malcolm

Original Name : Jarl Kulle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Frid

Original Name : Åke Fridell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henrik Egerman

Original Name : Björn Bjelfvenstam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Desirée's Mother

Original Name : Naima Wifstrand

Gender : Female

Character Name : Beata

Original Name : Jullan Kindahl

Gender : Female

Character Name : Malla

Original Name : Gull Natorp

Gender : Female

Character Name : Actress

Original Name : Birgitta Valberg

Gender : Female

Character Name : Actress

Original Name : Bibi Andersson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Niklas (uncredited)

Original Name : Gunnar Nielsen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Manservant (uncredited)

Original Name : Gösta Prüzelius

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dresser (uncredited)

Original Name : Svea Holst

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maid (uncredited)

Original Name : Mona Malm

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maid (uncredited)

Original Name : Lena Söderblom

Gender : Female

Character Name : Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Josef Norman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ferdinand (uncredited)

Original Name : Yngve Nordwall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Adolf Almgren (uncredited)

Original Name : Hans Strååt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Almgren (uncredited)

Original Name : Lisa Lundholm

Gender : Female

Character Name : Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Börje Mellvig

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tobacconist (uncredited)

Original Name : David Erikson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Actor (uncredited)

Original Name : Arne Lindblad

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stagehand (uncredited)

Original Name : Einar Söderbäck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Servant (uncredited)

Original Name : Sten Gester

Gender : Male

Character Name : Servant (uncredited)

Original Name : Mille Schmidt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Butler (uncredited)

Original Name : John Melin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Legal Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Ulf Johansson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Legal Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Carl-Gustaf Lindstedt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fredrik (uncredited)

Original Name : Anders Wulff

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Viveca Heister

Gender : Female

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Birgitta Hellerstedt

Gender : Female

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-02-09

I know, who'd have though it? An Ingmar Bergman film that's actually quite fun! It's also quite racy too! "Fredrik" (Gunnar Björnstrand) has married the much, much younger "Anne" (Ulla Jacobsson) but their relationship is as yet unconsummated. She isn't yet happy about losing her virginity or he decides she is too young for the experience. Depends on who you talk to, but suffice to say it's not about either not wanting to have sex! The arrival of his young son "Henrik" (Björn Bjelfvenstam) home after his exams turns her head and she is clearly more interested in that member of the family. "Henrik", meantime, is also a virgin and has been having a rather unrewarding and slightly comical flirtation with the maid "Petra" (Harriet Andersson) to try and rectify that situation. Their weekend scenario is going to get even more messy when actress "Désiree" (Eva Dahlbeck) arrives, stirring up memories of her own relationship with "Frederik" - one that still nurses the gentlest of affectionate flames. Finally, her friend the "Countess Charlotte" (Margot Carlqvist) shows up with her husband "Count Carl" (Jarl Kulle). Now here is an intriguing marital dynamic. He is having a fairly open, and quite jealously protective, liaison with "Désiree" whilst his wife is ostensibly permitted to play away as she pleases. This is going to be one hell of a dinner party and a combination of drink and some fairly unfettered morals are now let loose on an audience for an enjoyable, almost farcical, costume romp. Yes, it's more sophisticated than that - but essentially, this is quite a potent and funny assessment of human nature, of the constrictions we put on our own behaviour before finding a myriad of ways to breach these codes. Alcohol empowers us, reduces our inhibitions certainly; but to what extent we will do what instinct and urge tell us to is well presented here. Personally, I thought Carlqvist and Andersson stole the scenes - their characters purveying something natural, visceral and usually quite entertaining, too. Perhaps unintentional, but the film also struck me as a bit of a parody of some of the other great looking high-costume dramas the rather more earnestly illustrate the rigidity and hypocrisy of the double-standard bearing middle and upper classes, and I did really quite enjoy this.