If there is one thing that Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words shows about one of Hollywood’s legendary award winning actresses is that in her thinking and ideals she was way ahead of her time. A strong charismatic woman who stood up to anyone but with such an elegant grace that mesmerised.
Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words follows Bergman from a very young age, always in front of a camera operated by her beloved father, her rise to fame which took her from her homeland of Sweden to Hollywood. We also learn how Bergman becomes so hurt by her poor treatment of Hollywood and the American people when she fell from her idol grace when she fell in love with Director Roberto Rossellini prompting her first divorce – which saw her refuse to go back to the states for many years.
Most of her life was spent away from her Children filming, Acting was her first love and in the first instance, it comes across as she didn’t really care about her kids. However, as the footage and commentary prove she loved her children very deeply no matter how many times she left them to jet around the world to do what she loved the most.
Missing from today’s ‘celebrity’ culture is a woman, who young women can aspire and look up to, even though Bergman was flawed – no one is perfect – Her guile and poise would have fit perfectly into today’s world. Maybe, just over 100 years after her birth, the hypocrisy of Hollywood in that ‘Golden Age’ and the acceptance of a strong woman now, would have seen Bergman truly thrive.
Critic and filmmaker Stig Bjorkman – who has written on the likes of Ingmar Bergman and Woody Allen – has delved into the depths of Bergman’s own letters, diaries, and personal home footage and woven together each fascinating piece with interviews from her children from both her first and second husband’s – Director Roberto Rossellini. Oscar winner, Alicia Vikander plays the voice of Bergman reading through her own personal words with a beautiful tranquillity that hypnotises. This is one documentary that has an intimate elegance which charmingly captivates making you want more.
Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words is out now to own on DVD.