TCM's Summer Under the Stars features a star a day every day in August. August 28 features the films of Ingrid Bergman beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 6 a.m. the next morning. I'm pleased to be taking part in the 2015 TCM Summer Under the Stars Blogathon. Please check out Journeys in Classic Film and read some great articles by Kristen and also follow the links to other interesting material on the classic stars featured this month on TCM.
Ingrid Bergman, known for her naturally luminous beauty, was a world-renowned Swedish actress. Born on August 29, 1915, in Stockholm, Sweden, Ingrid Bergman starred in the classic Casablanca, forging an international film career that would see her featured in pictures like Spellbound and Viaggio in Italia. She was ultimately nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning for Gaslight, Anastasia and Murder on the Orient Express. She was nominated for three Emmy Awards, winning for her performances as the Governess in "The Turn of the Screw" on Startime and as Golda Meir in A Woman Called Golda. A legend of the stage as well, Bergman died of breast cancer in London, England on August 29, 1982.
Ingrid Bergman Fast Facts and Trivia
Born: August 29, 1915 in Stockholm, Sweden
Died: August 29, 1982, her birthday, in London, England (breast cancer)
Mother: Friedel Adler Bergman (German) (September 12, 1884 - January 19, 1918)
Father: Justus Samuel Bergman (Swedish) (May 2, 1871 - July 29, 1929) - He owned a photography shop.
Married: Petter Aron Lindstrom (1937-1950), Roberto Rossellini (1950-1956), Lars Schmidt (1957-1976).
Children: (Lindstrom) Friedel Pia (born September 20, 1938); (Rossellini) Roberto Guisto Guiseppe (born February 2, 1950) and twins Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna and Isotta Ingrid Frieda Giuliana (born June 18, 1952).
Did You Know?
She acted in five different languages: Swedish, English, German, French and Italian.
When David O. Selznick told his prospective new 23-year-old star that they would have to change her name, cap her teeth and pluck her eyebrows, she threatened to return to Sweden.
Was a good friend of author Ernest Hemingway. She called him "Papa" and he called her "Daughter."
Her famous love affair with the war photographer Robert Capa was the basis for Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954).
Won Broadway's 1947 Tony Award as Best Actress (Dramatic) for Joan of Lorraine, an award shared with Helen Hayes.
She played the part of Joan of Arc three times in her career: on stage in Maxwell Anderson's Joan of Lorraine and on film Joan of Arc (1948) and Giovanna d'Arco al rogo (1954).
Was the first choice to play Terry McKay in An Affair to Remember (1957).
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| Rosa 'Ingrid Bergman' |
Rosa 'Ingrid Bergman' is a red hybrid tea rose, bred by the Danish rose growers Pernille and Mogens Olesen and introduced by their company Poulsen Roser in 1984. It is a cross between the red hybrid tea 'Precious Platinum' (Dickson 1974) and an unnamed seedling. It was named in honor of the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman.
On August 20, 2015, nine days before the 100th anniversary of her birth, the USA and Sweden will jointly issue three commemorative postage stamps in her honor. The USA will issue a single 'Forever' stamp in the Legends of Hollywood series with an original issue price of 49¢. Sweden will issue two 14-krona stamps with different designs.
The USA stamp art features a circa 1940 image of Bergman taken by Laszlo Willinger, known for his portraits of celebrities. Artist Kristen Monthei digitally colorized the image. Monthei also colorized the selvage photograph, a still of Bergman from Casablanca. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp pane.
Intermezzo (1936)
Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939)
I have many Ingrid Bergman films on my list of favorites. It's difficult to decide which one of her films is at the top of my list. After much deliberation, I've chosen Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939), her first American film. Let me give you a little background on this 1939 gem.
In the 1930s, Ingrid Bergman was a rising new star in Sweden and Intermezzo (1936), released when she was just twenty-one, gave the actress her most famous role of this period. Bergman plays Anita Hoffman, an aspiring classical pianist who falls in love with a famed, but married, concert violinist (Gösta Ekman). Their passionate affair has deep and unanticipated consequences for them both, and for Anita, the affair also stirs a crisis of conscience. Intermezzo was Sweden's most celebrated film of the 1930s and it brought Bergman to the attention of Hollywood producer David O. Selznick. Indeed, after Selznick saw the film, he ordered his representative "to take the next boat to Sweden and not come home without a contract with Miss Bergman." Three years later, she would remake the film for him in her American debut and its great success would set her on the path to become a Hollywood legend.
The film was remade a second time as Honeysuckle Rose (1980), starring Willie Nelson.
Intermezzo (1936)
Directed by Gustaf Molander
Written by Gustaf Molander and Gösta Ekman
Music by Heinz Provost, Christian Sinding, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Cinematography by Åke Dahlqvist
Edited by Oscar Rosander
Distributed by Scandinavian Talking Pictures
Release dates: November 16, 1936 (Sweden), December 24, 1937 (USA)
Running time: 93 minutes
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Main Cast
Gösta Ekman – Professor Holger Brandt
Inga Tidblad – Margit Brandt
Ingrid Bergman – Anita Hoffman
Erik Berglund – Impresario Charles Möller
Hugo Björne – Thomas Stenborg
Anders Henrikson – Swedish sailor
Hasse Ekman – Åke Brandt (as Hans Ekman)
Britt Hagman – Ann-Marie Brandt
Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939)
Directed by Gregory Ratoff
Produced by David O. Selznick - Associate Producer - Leslie Howard
Written by George O'Neil (based on the screenplay of the original film by Gösta Stevens and Gustaf Molander)
Music by Robert Russell Bennett, Max Steiner, Heinz Provost, and Christian Sinding
Music Director - Louis Forbes
Cinematography by Gregg Toland and Harry Stradling, Sr.
Edited by Francis D. Lyon
Production Company - Selznick International Pictures
Distributed by United Artists
Release date: September 22, 1939 (USA)
Running time: 70 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Main Cast
Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939) is a romantic film made in the United States by Selznick International Pictures and nominated for two Academy Awards. It was directed by Gregory Ratoff and produced by David O. Selznick with Leslie Howard as associate producer. It is a remake of the Swedish film Intermezzo (1936) and features multiple orchestrations of the Heinz Provost's piece of the same name, which won a contest associated with the original film's production. The screenplay by George O'Neil was based on the screenplay of the original film by Gösta Stevens and Gustaf Molander. The scoring by Louis Forbes was nominated for an Academy Award, and music credit was given to Robert Russell Bennett, Max Steiner, Heinz Provost, and Christian Sinding. The fabulous black-and-white cinematography by Gregg Toland who replaced Harry Stradling, Sr. was also nominated for an Academy Award. When Selznick fired Harry Stradling Sr. and hired the great Gregg Toland to take over the photography, he asked Toland how it was possible that Bergman looked so beautiful in the original European production and so ghastly in his Hollywood version. Toland replied, "In Sweden they don't make her wear all that makeup." Selznick immediately ordered retakes with the "natural look."
The musical duets, with Howard and Bergman, were dubbed for the soundtrack by professional musicians (Toscha Seidel for Howard and Norma Drury-Boleslawski for Bergman); however, the actors' hands show the actual music being played. Ingrid Bergman plays the full piano parts (for Edvard Grieg's Concerto in A minor and Christian Sinding's Rustle of Spring), so her hand positions are correct for the music soundtrack. Leslie Howard, however, could not play the violin, so a professional violinist—who also bore a striking resemblance to Leslie Howard—was brought in to teach him proper violin posture and bowing technique. During filming, this same musician, Al Sack, rested on his knees, out of view of the camera, and did the fingering on all of the close-ups. In the film, viewers see Sack's left hand and Mr. Howard's bowing arm and profile. Sack also doubled for Howard during the long shots in front of the orchestra.
Music in Intermezzo: A Love Story
Intermezzo (1936)
Music by Heinz Provost
Played at the concert by Leslie Howard on violin and John Halliday on piano
Played by Howard and Ann E. Todd on piano at their home
Played by Howard and Ingrid Bergman on piano at a concert
Played on a zither by Howard
Used as background music often.
Rustle of Spring [Fruhlingsrauschen] Op.32 No.3 (1896)
Music by Christian Sinding
Hummed by Ingrid Bergman
Played as background music.
None But the Lonely Heart (Nur Wer die Sehnsucht Kennt) (1880)
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
In the score when Holger talks to Eric near the end.
Piano Concerto in A op 16
Music by Edvard Grieg
Played by Ingrid Bergman on piano and then joined in by Howard while at home.
Radio Versions of Intermezzo: A Love Story
Ingrid Bergman performed "Intermezzo" twice on Lux Radio Theatre. On January 29, 1940, her costar was Herbert Marshall. On June 4, 1945, her costar was Joseph Cotten.
January 29, 1940 with Ingrid Bergman and Herbert Marshall
June 4, 1945 with Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten
Did You Know?
In a published memo, David O. Selznick stated the title "Intermezzo" was not used because he feared the obscurity of the word would confuse audiences.
In both her first American film, Intermezzo: A Love Story, and her last feature film, Autumn Sonata, Ingrid Bergman played a concert pianist.
A song, "Intermezzo" was published in 1940 with music by Heinz Provost and lyrics by Robert Hemming, based on the picture's main theme.
David O. Selznick bribed Leslie Howard into accepting the role of Ashley in Gone with the Wind by giving him the right to co-produce this film.
The oldest film to ever receive a network telecast on ABC, thirty-two years after it was made.
Watch Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939)
Ingrid Bergman on the Radio
Lux Radio Theatre
"A Man's Castle" - December 1, 1941 - :59:39 - Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" - February 12, 1945 - :58:49 - Ingrid Bergman, Gary Cooper
"Gaslight" - April 29, 1946 - :59:49 - Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer
"Notorious" - January 26, 1948 - :59:28 - Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten
Jane Eyre" - June 14, 1948 - :59:20 - Ingrid Bergman, Robert Montgomery
"The Seventh Veil" - December 13, 1948 - :59:41 - Ingrid Bergman, Robert Montgomery
The Screen Guild Theater
"Casablanca" - April 26, 1943 - :29:37 - Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Paul Henreid
"Anna Karenina" - October 30, 1944 - :29:06 - Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck
"The Bells of Saint Mary's" - August 26, 1946 - :30:00 - Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman, Joan Carroll
"The Bells of Saint Mary's" - October 6, 1947 - :28:41 - Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman, Joan Carroll
"Notorious" - January 6, 1949 - :24:32 - Ingrid Bergman, John Hodiak, J. Carrol Naish, Joseph Kearns
Theatre Guild on the Air
"Still Life" - April 6, 1947 - :58:59 - Ingrid Bergman, Sam Wanamaker, Peggy Wood
TCM's Summer Under the Stars - August 28, 2015
Films of Ingrid Bergman
Films of Ingrid Bergman
D: Victor Fleming. Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Donald Crisp, Ian Hunter, Barton MacLane, C. Aubrey Smith, Sara Allgood. Tracy and Bergman are excellent in thoughtful, lush remake of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, which stresses Hyde's emotions rather than physical horror. Also shown in computer-colored version.
Under Capricorn (1949)
D: Alfred Hitchcock. Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Michael Wilding, Margaret Leighton, Cecil Parker. Stuffy costumer set in 19th-century Australia; Bergman is frail wife of hardened husband Cotten; Wilding comes to visit, upsetting everything. Leighton excellent in supporting role. One of Hitchcock's few duds.
Stromboli (1950)
D: Roberto Rossellini. Ingrid Bergman, Mario Vitale, Renzo Cesana, Mario Sponza. Rambling dreariness with refugee Bergman marrying fisherman Vitale; even an erupting volcano doesn't jar this plodding film, which was boycotted in the U.S. because Bergman had left her husband for Rossellini. Original 107m. version is now available, but is little improvement over U.S. release (which was edited by Alfred Werker and has a different ending).
Journey to Italy (1955)
D: Roberto Rossellini. Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders, Paul Muller, Maria Mauban, Natalia Ray. Beautiful, meditative tale of married couple Bergman and Sanders trying to reconcile their faltering relationship while driving through Italy. Received dreadful reviews when first released, but was rediscovered (and labelled a masterpiece) by French filmmakers and critics.
Fear (1954)
D: Roberto Rossellini. Ingrid Bergman, Mathias Wieman, Renate Mannhardt. The wife of a prominent scientist is blackmailed after her extramarital affair is discovered.
Elena and Her Men (1956)
D: Jean Renoir. Ingrid Bergman, Jean Marais, Mel Ferrer, Jean Richard, Magali Noel, Juliette Greco, Pierre Bertin. Claude Renoir's exquisite cinematography highlights this otherwise so-so account of impoverished Polish princess Bergman's romantic intrigues with Marais and Ferrer. Overrated by some; far from Renoir's (or Bergman's) best.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1973)
D: Fielder Cook. Ingrid Bergman, Sally Prager, Johnny Doran. Two runaways take refuge in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Autumn Sonata (1978)
D: Ingmar Bergman. Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Lena Nyman. A concert pianist faces the daughters she's neglected for years.
Casablanca (1942)
D: Michael Curtiz. Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Dooley Wilson, Marcel Dalio, S. Z. Sakall, Joy Page, Helmut Dantine, Curt Bois. Everything is right in this WW2 classic of war-torn Morocco with elusive nightclub owner Rick (Bogart) finding old flame (Bergman) and her husband, underground leader Henreid, among skeletons in his closet. Rains is marvelous as dapper police chief, and nobody sings "As Time Goes By" like Dooley Wilson. Three Oscars include Picture, Director, and Screenplay (Julius & Philip Epstein and Howard Koch). Our candidate for the best Hollywood movie of all time. Spawned short-lived TV series in the 1950s and the 1980s. Also shown in computer-colored version.
Gaslight (1944)
D: George Cukor. Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty, Angela Lansbury, Terry Moore. The bloom has worn off this classic chiller about a man trying to drive his wife insane, but lush production, Victorian flavor, and fine performances remain intact. Bergman won Oscar; Lansbury's film debut. Filmed before in 1940. Also shown in computer-colored version.
Europa '51 (1951)
D: Roberto Rossellini. Ingrid Bergman, Alexander Knox, Giulietta Masina, Teresa Pellati, Ettore Giannini. Bergman plays a wealthy American living in Rome, who feels compelled to help people in order to restore meaning to her own life after her son's suicide. Obvious, slow-moving story.
Rage in Heaven (1941)
D: W. S. Van Dyke II. Robert Montgomery, Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders, Lucile Watson, Oscar Homolka, Philip Merivale, Matthew Boulton. Disappointing adaptation of James Hilton novel about mentally disturbed steel mill owner who plots unusual murder-revenge scheme; set in England.
Saratoga Trunk (1945)
D: Sam Wood. Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, Flora Robson, Jerry Austin, John Warburton, Florence Bates. Elaborate but miscast, overlong version of Edna Ferber's novel of New Orleans vixen Bergman and cowboy Cooper. Unbearable at times. Made in 1943.
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