Elvira Madigan (1967)

Interesting facts

• Awards: 1 · Nominations: 0. Including: Greta

Elvira Madigan is a 1967 Swedish romantic drama film directed by Bo Widerberg and starring Pia Degermark and Thommy Berggren. It is loosely based on the tragedy of the Danish slackrope dancer Hedvig Jensen, working under the stage name of Elvira Madigan at her stepfather's travelling circus, and her relationship with Swedish nobleman lieutenant Sixten Sparre.

Production

A film based on the story of Elvira Madigan and Sixten Sparre was first released in Sweden in 1943. Director Bo Widerberg wanted to tell the story in modern terms, although it still strayed from the real story by adding a suicide pact between the Elvira and Sixten. "I was interested in the idea of the officer and the circus girl.

Widerberg cast Pia Degermark after seeing her in a newspaper photo dancing with Sweden's crown prince. For the role of Sixten, Widerberg cast Thommy Berggren, a frequent collaborator on his films.

The film was shot in an improvisational style, with the script consisting of only 25 pages. Widerberg directed Degermark and Berggren by going over each scene with them in detail and then shooting it without a rehearsal. Said Widerberg, "My method was to allow Pia and Thommy all the time they wanted for each scene. They could take long pauses before each line.

The production crew was minimal and consisted of only eight people—Widerberg, the two principal actors, and five technicians. Many camera shots were handheld and shot with only natural light. An admirer of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Widerberg incorporated visual homages to his paintings.

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