group of friends from Terra Nova found seats at a big table outdoors. The enticing aroma of grilled lamb drifted over the crowded restaurant.
‘Great,’ exclaimed Sam as he sat down. ‘What a perfect evening. Don’t you think so, sweetheart?’ He poked Andrea in the side. No one could avoid hearing the sarcasm in his voice, but Andrea pretended not to notice.
‘It certainly is,’ she replied, smiling at Sam. ‘Absolutely wonderful. And it’s so warm.’
‘It feels as if we’re in Greece or somewhere like that,’ said Beata, taking off her shawl, which offered only minimal coverage of her plunging neckline.
She always has to show off, thought Andrea. She just can’t help it.
Beata stretched her arms in the air and uttered a little chirping sound.
‘Oh, how lovely. But now I want some wine.’
They ordered several bottles and then went to get food from the chef, who stood next to the grill, serving lamb and vegetable gratin and working so hard that he was dripping with sweat.
Soon they were all seated with plates of food in front of them, their glasses filled with red wine. The discussion immediately turned to Bergman.
‘Which of his films are your favourites?’ asked Sam eagerly, glancing around at everyone.
‘I like
The Magician
best,’ Beata told him.
‘Are you serious?’ Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise.
The Magician
was one of Bergman’s earlier films, a suggestive drama that was not among his more accessible works. ‘Why do you think it’s so special?’
Andrea gave Beata a look of distaste. She probably just wanted to draw attention to herself. Beata took another big sip of her wine.
‘The eroticism,’ she said, casting a mischievous glance at Sam. ‘There’s so much repressed lust in that movie, and such an erotic undercurrent. And the love scene between Lars Ekborg and Bibi Andersson, in the hamper with the freshly washed linen … don’t even mention it!’
She laughed with pleasure. Stina and Andrea exchanged looks. John joined the discussion.
‘Personally, I like
Summer with Monica
the best, but I’m sure that’s mostly because I love the Stockholm archipelago, and I think Harriet Andersson is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Well, except for Beata, of course.’
‘I thought as much,’ laughed Beata, unconcerned. ‘You little rascal. Didn’t she show her breasts in that movie? Was that what you fell for?’ Then she let loose such a peal of laughter that the glasses on the table clattered. Beata was always referring to sex in one way or another. Andrea didn’t know why.
An embarrassed silence ensued. Everyone made a show of drinking more wine and praising the food, then talking about the weather and the music.
‘To be honest, I’ve never really understood why Bergman is considered so great,’ said Håkan. ‘I think he’s overrated. He’s so strange and difficult. To me, the movies are mostly a hotchpotch, a bunch of disconnected scenes of fear, dark looks, screams and hysterical people.’
His remarks were met with boos.
‘You’re out of your mind,’ exclaimed Beata indignantly. ‘Bergman is world famous, for Christ’s sake.’
‘So what?’ countered Håkan. ‘He wouldn’t be the first person to become famous because of his eccentricities.’
‘You’re hopeless,’ said Stina with a sigh. ‘Everybody here should realize that they’re listening to a man whose role model is Arnold Schwarzenegger.’ She shook her head. ‘My favourite, at any rate, is
Persona
. In any category. It beats them all.’
‘Why’s that?’ asked Sam with interest.
Stina leaned forward with an intent expression.
‘You remember
Persona
, don’t you? With Liv Ullmann as the celebrated actress Elisabeth Vogler who runs away from the spotlight and escapes into silence? She simply stops talking. And Bibi Andersson as her nurse, Alma, who accompanies her to the remote house where she seeks refuge? Alma thinks she’s found a soulmate in Elisabeth, even
‘Great,’ exclaimed Sam as he sat down. ‘What a perfect evening. Don’t you think so, sweetheart?’ He poked Andrea in the side. No one could avoid hearing the sarcasm in his voice, but Andrea pretended not to notice.
‘It certainly is,’ she replied, smiling at Sam. ‘Absolutely wonderful. And it’s so warm.’
‘It feels as if we’re in Greece or somewhere like that,’ said Beata, taking off her shawl, which offered only minimal coverage of her plunging neckline.
She always has to show off, thought Andrea. She just can’t help it.
Beata stretched her arms in the air and uttered a little chirping sound.
‘Oh, how lovely. But now I want some wine.’
They ordered several bottles and then went to get food from the chef, who stood next to the grill, serving lamb and vegetable gratin and working so hard that he was dripping with sweat.
Soon they were all seated with plates of food in front of them, their glasses filled with red wine. The discussion immediately turned to Bergman.
‘Which of his films are your favourites?’ asked Sam eagerly, glancing around at everyone.
‘I like
The Magician
best,’ Beata told him.
‘Are you serious?’ Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise.
The Magician
was one of Bergman’s earlier films, a suggestive drama that was not among his more accessible works. ‘Why do you think it’s so special?’
Andrea gave Beata a look of distaste. She probably just wanted to draw attention to herself. Beata took another big sip of her wine.
‘The eroticism,’ she said, casting a mischievous glance at Sam. ‘There’s so much repressed lust in that movie, and such an erotic undercurrent. And the love scene between Lars Ekborg and Bibi Andersson, in the hamper with the freshly washed linen … don’t even mention it!’
She laughed with pleasure. Stina and Andrea exchanged looks. John joined the discussion.
‘Personally, I like
Summer with Monica
the best, but I’m sure that’s mostly because I love the Stockholm archipelago, and I think Harriet Andersson is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Well, except for Beata, of course.’
‘I thought as much,’ laughed Beata, unconcerned. ‘You little rascal. Didn’t she show her breasts in that movie? Was that what you fell for?’ Then she let loose such a peal of laughter that the glasses on the table clattered. Beata was always referring to sex in one way or another. Andrea didn’t know why.
An embarrassed silence ensued. Everyone made a show of drinking more wine and praising the food, then talking about the weather and the music.
‘To be honest, I’ve never really understood why Bergman is considered so great,’ said Håkan. ‘I think he’s overrated. He’s so strange and difficult. To me, the movies are mostly a hotchpotch, a bunch of disconnected scenes of fear, dark looks, screams and hysterical people.’
His remarks were met with boos.
‘You’re out of your mind,’ exclaimed Beata indignantly. ‘Bergman is world famous, for Christ’s sake.’
‘So what?’ countered Håkan. ‘He wouldn’t be the first person to become famous because of his eccentricities.’
‘You’re hopeless,’ said Stina with a sigh. ‘Everybody here should realize that they’re listening to a man whose role model is Arnold Schwarzenegger.’ She shook her head. ‘My favourite, at any rate, is
Persona
. In any category. It beats them all.’
‘Why’s that?’ asked Sam with interest.
Stina leaned forward with an intent expression.
‘You remember
Persona
, don’t you? With Liv Ullmann as the celebrated actress Elisabeth Vogler who runs away from the spotlight and escapes into silence? She simply stops talking. And Bibi Andersson as her nurse, Alma, who accompanies her to the remote house where she seeks refuge? Alma thinks she’s found a soulmate in Elisabeth, even
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