Ingmar Bergman's Most Emotionally Piercing Movie Isn't 'Persona' – It's This Medieval Tale

Ingmar Bergman is a director whose name has become synonymous with existential angst, psychological depth, and black-and-white aesthetics. Persona, The Seventh Seal, and Wild Strawberries are films that have long since become classics.

The Virgin Spring, released in 1960, is Bergman's only movie set in medieval Sweden. It tells a stark, poetic, and emotional story of faith, violence, and redemption.

What Is 'The Virgin Spring' About?

Medieval Sweden: Töre, a devout Christian, sends his daughter, Karin, to deliver candles to the church. Her half-sister Ingeri, a secret Odin worshipper, accompanies her. The girls become separated along the way.

Karin encounters three shepherd brothers who treat her kindly at first but then rape and murder her. That evening, the brothers come to spend the night at Töre's house, unaware that Karin is his daughter.

When Töre learns what has happened, he demands a fair fight with each of the brothers.

'The Virgin Spring' Is a Movie About Faith Being Tested

Töre is a man of faith – he prays, observes rituals, and raises his daughter in the Christian faith. However, when his faith collides with reality, with violence, injustice, and loss, it crumbles.

Bergman offers no easy answers, and God remains silent throughout the film. After his daughter is murdered, Töre is torn by doubts. If God exists, why did he allow this to happen? If God doesn't exist, then what was the point of his entire life?

In the end, Töre vows to build a church on the site of Karin's death. When a spring bubbles up from the ground, he sees it as a sign: but is it a sign, or just water? Bergman leaves this question unanswered.

This makes The Virgin Spring a universal story about how a person copes with grief when all answers have been exhausted, not just a religious parable.

'The Virgin Spring' Had a Huge Influence on World Cinema

The Virgin Spring was a huge success, winning an Oscar and influencing a generation of directors. One of the most notable examples is Wes Craven's debut film, The Last House on the Left, which is a modern-day remake of the original.

Craven replaced medieval Sweden with a small American town and a church with a rock concert. However, while Bergman depicted violence with restraint and emphasized the character's inner struggle, Craven relied on naturalism and shock.

The Virgin Spring was the first major movie shot by the brilliant cinematographer Sven Nykvist. He worked with Bergman for the rest of his career and also collaborated with Tarkovsky, Allen, and Malm.

The Virgin Spring is a rare Bergman film in which viewers can cry without fear of appearing sentimental because it is not an intellectual puzzle but a story about what happens to a person when their most precious possession is taken away.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The Virgin Spring'?

• The Virgin Spring has 88% from critics and 92% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 8.0/10.

• On Letterboxd, The Virgin Spring scored 4.2/5.0.

Where to Watch 'The Virgin Spring'?

The Virgin Spring is available to stream on The Criterion Channel and Kanopy.