| Overview: | A middle-aged lawyer, Frederik Egerman, his inexperienced young wife, Anne, and her step-son, Henrik, are invited to spend the weekend at the country mansion of a beautiful actress, Frederik's ex-mistress, Desiree Armfeldt. Amongst the guests are Desiree's current lover, Count Malcolm, and his wife, Charlotte.
During the course of the weekend, these three couples meet, separate, and exchange partners, providing some lively comedic action and illustrating Bergman's sardonic attitude towards the vagaries of love. Behind the scintillating and witty approach to this charming period comedy of manners lie the ilusions and pretentions of the haute bourgeois, which Bergman cleverly illustrates with his collection of fickle husbands and scheming women.
The inspiration behind Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" and Woody Allen's "A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy", "Smiles Of A Summer Night" stands as a milestone in Bergman's career, and its success with international audiences ensured Bergman's reputation as a leading figure in the cinema.
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