Bergman restores Ingrid Bergman to her proper place as one of the finest of screen actresses, teaming her with the superb Liv Ullmann in a pairing that simply must not be missed.

Bergman's casting coup lives up to expectations. Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullmann invest their roles with undeniable emotional conviction and impact.

The movie makes good chamber music: it's a crafted miniature with Bergman's usual bombast built, for once, into the plot requirements.

Bergman crafts a story that is brutally honest, yet in its honesty, there is beauty.