In RITEN (The Rite, The Ritual), three actors – played by Ingrid Thulin, Anders Ek, and Gunnar Björnstrand, each reflecting various personal traits of their director, Ingmar Bergman – are accused of pornographic performances, and must testify before a judge (Erik Hell).
This 1969 television drama, slightly over an hour in length, was quickly put together to relieve and reflect on the tension and anger that had marked Bergman’s tenure as head of the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm.
“Thea, the woman in the film, is, I believe, a half-conscious attempt to depict my own intuition. She is faceless, doesn’t recognize her maturity, submissive, and has a need to please. She has sudden impulses, speaks with God, angels, and demons, believes herself to be a saint. She tries to accomplish stigmatization, is unbearably sensitive – cannot even stand to wear clothes at times. She is a kind of satellite dish for secret signals from extraterrestial radio stations.” – Bergman*
As part of the American Cinematheque series The Season of Bergman, this rarely screened film will play in 35mm on a double-bill with Bergman’s classic SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT.
SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT and THE RITE, Wednesday, May 16, at 7:30 pm.
AERO THEATRE, 1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica.
americancinemathequecalendar.com/smiles-of-a-summer-night-the-rite
Top: Bergman’s shooting script.
Above: Ingrid Thulin.
Below: Scenes from Riten.
