.jeri.

This may be one of Bergman's sadder movies, but somehow it felt like a breath of fresh air after all the others I've been watching lately, quite possibly because it's so straightforward.

Set in the 14th century, the movie is about a young girl named Karin (there's that name again) who is the daughter of a wealthy landowner who is raped and killed on her way to take candles to church in her finest attire. When her killers happen to knock on her parents' door to beg for shelter, it's only a matter of time until her parents realize what has happened.

Yet again, Max von Sydow is the man. I'm not really sure I need to say it anymore, but he really is. I loved his performance movie, which is basically what makes this one of my favorite Bergmans to date. However, I'm taking a very long break from Bergman. I'm finding myself sad, confused, and irritated after many of them, and honestly, I could use some happier endings to my movies of late.