Waiting Women (1952)

Waiting Women (aka Secrets of Women aka Kvinnors Väntan)


At last a more mature and interesting film from Bergman. He hasn't quite shaken off the 'young couple in love' obsession, but he's found a way to do it more interestingly.

The framing of the story is a group of women waiting for their husbands to return home, and discuss relationships, especially the problem of infidelity. There are three main stories told, the first and the third about infidelity, but the second is the young couple in love section. The second section features regulars Birger Malmsten and Maj-Britt Nilsson as another young couple, but this section is told (mostly) without dialogue, so becomes gestures and shows which is more interesting. But the best episode in the film has to be the third one in which Eva Dahlbeck and Gunnar Björnstrand play a married couple who accidentally get stuck in a life for the night. It's expertly played and quite funny as well as saying something more serious about relationships in general.


I must admit I do like episodic structures in movies, but I find that by and large they aren't done too well. The main trouble is that not all of the episodes are of equal quality, and I think that is a problem this film has with the first episode. I also do have a liking for ensemble casts in films and this does have a good ensemble cast, and most of the players are given their moment in the spotlight, but in larger scenes they work well together.


A good film, and hopefully a good indication of things to come.


Rating- 7/10


Top 5-
1) Waiting Women
2) Prison
3) To Joy
4) Music In Darkness
5) Torment