The Essential Films of Ingrid Bergman

Constantine Santas and James M. Wilson

Ingrid Bergman was not only an incomparable beauty but one of the finest actresses of cinema’s Golden Age. She made her start in modest productions in Sweden before Hollywood beckoned and soon became one of filmdom’s brightest stars. She appeared in many acclaimed films including Casablanca, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and Gaslight. While her personal life was briefly tainted by an affair and a consequent falling out with the American public, Bergman was eventually able to return to Hollywood, and eventually earned two of her three Academy Awards.

In The Essential Films of Ingrid Bergman, Constantine Santas and James Wilson look at the most notable performances of the award-winning actress’s career. From her early work in Swedish films to her final role in the mini-series A Woman called Golda, this book analyzes the entirety of Bergman’s on-screen career, paying special attention to those aspects of her acting that made her stand out most—her undeniable range of emotion, her stunning vulnerability, and her indisputable beauty. Among the films discussed in this volume are Casablanca, Gaslight, Spellbound, The Bells of St. Mary’s, Notorious, Indiscreet, and Murder on the Orient Express.

This volume looks at each of Bergman’s most significant films, covering nearly five decades of film making, from Swedish productions to her final films. Each entry provides production history, plot summaries, film highlights, and major award details. Highlighting more than twenty productions, The Essential Films of Ingrid Bergman is a must-have for every fan of the legendary actress.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 224 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-1-4422-1214-5 • Hardback • September 2018 • $48.00 • (£37.00)

978-1-5381-0140-7 • eBook • September 2018 • $45.50 • (£35.00)

Subjects: Performing Arts / Television / History & Criticism, Performing Arts / Film & Video / Biography, Performing Arts / Actors and Actresses, Performing Arts / Film / General, Performing Arts / Film / Reference

The Essential Films of Ingrid Bergman

Hardback

eBook

Summary

Ingrid Bergman was not only an incomparable beauty but one of the finest actresses of cinema’s Golden Age. She made her start in modest productions in Sweden before Hollywood beckoned and soon became one of filmdom’s brightest stars. She appeared in many acclaimed films including Casablanca, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and Gaslight. While her personal life was briefly tainted by an affair and a consequent falling out with the American public, Bergman was eventually able to return to Hollywood, and eventually earned two of her three Academy Awards.

In The Essential Films of Ingrid Bergman, Constantine Santas and James Wilson look at the most notable performances of the award-winning actress’s career. From her early work in Swedish films to her final role in the mini-series A Woman called Golda, this book analyzes the entirety of Bergman’s on-screen career, paying special attention to those aspects of her acting that made her stand out most—her undeniable range of emotion, her stunning vulnerability, and her indisputable beauty. Among the films discussed in this volume are Casablanca, Gaslight, Spellbound, The Bells of St. Mary’s, Notorious, Indiscreet, and Murder on the Orient Express.

This volume looks at each of Bergman’s most significant films, covering nearly five decades of film making, from Swedish productions to her final films. Each entry provides production history, plot summaries, film highlights, and major award details. Highlighting more than twenty productions, The Essential Films of Ingrid Bergman is a must-have for every fan of the legendary actress.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 224 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-1-4422-1214-5 • Hardback • September 2018 • $48.00 • (£37.00)

978-1-5381-0140-7 • eBook • September 2018 • $45.50 • (£35.00)

Subjects: Performing Arts / Television / History & Criticism, Performing Arts / Film & Video / Biography, Performing Arts / Actors and Actresses, Performing Arts / Film / General, Performing Arts / Film / Reference

Author

Constantine Santas is professor emeritus at Flagler College (St. Augustine, Florida), where he initiated a program of film studies that continues today. He is the coauthor of The Encyclopedia of Epic Films (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014) and the author of The Epic Films of David Lean (Scarecrow Press, 2011) and The Essential Humphrey Bogart (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016).

James M. Wilson teaches film, American literature, and creative writing at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. He is president of the Florida Literary Arts Coalition and co-author of The Encyclopedia of Epic Films (2014).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Key to Films
A Brief Biography of Ingrid Bergman
1: A Woman’s Face (1938)
2: Intermezzo, A Love Story (1939)
3: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941)
4: Casablanca (1942)
5: For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)
6: Gaslight (1944)
7: Spellbound (1945)
8: The Bells of St Mary’s (1945)
9: Notorious (1946)
10: Arch of Triumph (1948)
11: Joan of Arc (1948)
12: Stromboli (1959)
13: Europe 51 (1954)
14: Anastasia (1956)
15: Indiscreet (1958)
16: The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)
17: Goodbye Again (1961)
18: The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1965)
19: Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
20: Autumn Sonata (1978)
21: A Woman Called Golda (1980)
Bibliography
Index
About the Authors

Reviews

Movie buffs, film students, and performing-arts admirers will be well served by this artful appraisal of one of the icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
— Booklist

Santas and Wilson present a detailed and informative tribute to Bergman’s career. . . . More than a critical study, this is a love letter to Bergman’s accomplishments as an artist, and will be a delightful addition to any classic film lover’s library.
— Publishers Weekly

The Essential Films of Ingrid Bergman

Constantine Santas and James M. Wilson

The Essential Films of Ingrid Bergman

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