Hedda Gabler

Hedda Gabler
In one of the great dramatic roles in all of theater, the always magnificent Ingrid Bergman seethes with frustrated ambition. Hedda Gabler is a woman who, for financial security, has married an earnest and dutiful academic who lacks the passion and imagination that drive Hedda. When Eilert Lovborg (Trevor Howard, The Third Man), a former lover, returns to their city, she discovers that a new woman has rescued him from his alcoholism and given him the strength to write a brilliant book. Consumed with jealousy, Hedda seizes an opportunity to ruin Lovborg's life--and by doing so, places herself in the power of the glib and predatory Judge Brack (Ralph Richardson, The Fallen Idol), who longs to have his way with her. This 1963 British television version of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler is skillfully condensed into a taut 75 minutes, fantastically played by the superb cast (which also includes Michael Redgrave, The Importance of Being Earnest). Bergman and Richardson, in particular, draw out every drop of hidden resentment and lust. Accompanying Hedda Gabler is a 1974 adaptation of Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea, in which a mysterious man from the past threatens the marriage of an older doctor (Denholm Elliott, Raiders of the Lost Ark) and a younger woman (Eileen Atkins, Cold Comfort Farm). This solid production feels a bit stagey and the script could have been better edited for television, but it does capture the metaphysical chill of the stranger's presence and the drama of the young woman's craving for personal freedom. --Bret Fetzer
Customer Review: Not Quite the Play But a Fine Film
Much as I hate to admit it, the insufferable Stanley N has said most of what I planned to say about this cinema adaptation of Ibsen's most popular drama. Yes, Ingrid Bergman is exquisite on screen, her close-ups being worth at least the few hundred words that have been cut from the script. Yes, the rest of the cast is worthy of sharing the screen with her. Yes, this would be a powerful psychological film even if it had somehow been crafted by Hollywood hacks. One thing Mr. N fails to mention is the visual beauty of the film, all the action being contained within the parlor and the porch of the Gabler mansion as if on a stage, yet with very fluid camera work worthy of that other Swede named Bergman. This film is available as part of the six-DVD, ten production Ibsen Collection from the BBC, which I've been carrying in my suitcase while on the road for a month. So far I've watched three plays: this Hedda Gabler made in 1963, An Enemy of the People, and Little Eyolf. "Enemy" has been curiously adapted, relocated in Scotland several decades later in time than the original; it's an intellectually shallow interpretation but a fairly strong piece of cinema on its own, well acted and directed. "Little Eyolf" is utterly faithful to the mood and content of Ibsen's drama; starring Anthony Hopkins and Diana Riggs, it has none of the stilted wordiness of Ibsen translations on stage even though it delivers the whole script without noticeable cuts. Again the visuals are evocative, graceful, and fluid. How I'd love to see the movie industry re-learn the art of editing more than five-second cuts! The filmed plays also include: Brand, A Doll's House, Ghosts, The Wild Duck, The Lady from the Sea, and The Master Builder. Eight radio plays are appended to various DVDs, but I haven't yet tried to listen to them. I heartily recommend this single film, but I urge everyone to consider the whole BBC collection. The dramas of Henryk Ibsen are not mere museum pieces. Though I hope films never completely replace stage productions, these films are good enough to bring Ibsen to life for home of hotel viewers.
Customer Review: Superb cast makes this a Must-See
It's been so long since I read the play that I can't compare this production, which another reviewer called "truncated," to the original. This is short but the collection of some of the finest actors in England plus Ingrid Bergman in her prime, make this a powerful performance. Ms. Bergman dominates every scene with her amazing presence. I had forgotten what a great actress she was. And, she is absolutely beautiful here. We are fortunate to have this on record.