Through a Glass Darkly
1961 · Movie · Not Rated · 91 min · ★ 7.8 · 92% critics
A young woman returns from psychiatric care to spend a summer on a remote island with her husband, brother, and emotionally distant father. As tensions and unmet needs surface, the family’s fragile bonds are tested, and her unsettling visions grow stronger, pushing everyone to confront love, faith, and helplessness.
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Streaming on HBO Max.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- Såsom i en spegel
- Years
- 1961
- Release date
- 1961-10-16
- Language
- Swedish
- Rated
- Not Rated
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Critic score
- 92/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.8/10 (537 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a stark, intimate family story about mental illness, faith, and strained love in an isolated setting; Not for you if you prefer upbeat pacing or clear answers—try Winter Light or Cries and Whispers for a similar mood.
Pros: intense family drama; strong performances; haunting atmosphere | Cons: heavy themes; talky and theatrical; story may feel slight
Themes
- daughter
- island
- schizophrenia
- author
- mental illness
- electroconvulsive therapy
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 1962
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 1963 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 1962 · nominated
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 1962 · nominated
Cast & crew
Harriet Andersson
as Karin
Gunnar Björnstrand
as David
Max von Sydow
as Martin
Lars Passgård
as Minus
Directed by Ingmar Bergman