Sommaren med Monika

"Sommaren med Monika" ("Monika, the story of a bad girl") is a very nice film. It's made in 1953 in Sweden. Ingmar Bergman really manages to use the beautiful scenery to create a special atmosphere, for instance by letting the to young lovers float around on the boat in silence for several minutes. Some might find that boring, but I think it's great. Harriet Andersson (Monika) is a very fine actress, she reminds me very much of Ronja Røverdatter. Lars Ekborg in the role of Harry, the young, quite nervous boy, who falls in love with Monika, is good too. They're both very smooth! All in all it's a very lovely and tender film, and especially the first half is very cheerful. As you can see on the last picture, it was considered very naughty and bad in America, and was pioneering regarding nudity in films, it was also a precursor to the phenomenon "the Swedish sin".

Harry strokes Monika's leg.
Monika: "Feel how smooth your sock is"
Harry: "It's your leg that's smooth"
Monika: "Now it's yours"
Harry: "Then I'll keep it here"
Monika: "You may keep it all. I'll stay here. I refuse to leave."
Harry: "I won't let you go"

- Juhan