The Virgin Spring

Name: Jungfrukällan
Genre: Drama
Released: 1960-11-14
Duration: 1 h 29 min
Rating: 8
Cast: Max von Sydow, Birgitta Valberg, Gunnel Lindblom

Original title: Jungfrukällan

IMDb RATING

8.0/10

32K

YOUR RATING

Tragedy Drama

In 14th-century Sweden, an innocent yet pampered teenage girl and her family's pregnant and jealous servant set out from their farm to deliver candles to church, but only one returns from ev... Read allIn 14th-century Sweden, an innocent yet pampered teenage girl and her family's pregnant and jealous servant set out from their farm to deliver candles to church, but only one returns from events that transpire in the woods along the way.In 14th-century Sweden, an innocent yet pampered teenage girl and her family's pregnant and jealous servant set out from their farm to deliver candles to church, but only one returns from events that transpire in the woods along the way.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.0/10

32K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 6 wins & 2 nominations total

Trivia
The bridge keeper played by Axel Slangus clearly is supposed to be Odin. Beside his comments about recognizing Ingeri as if they have met before (suggesting he heard her prayer at the beginning of the film), there are several nods to Odinic lore. Before the bridge keeper appears, a raven is seated outside his hut. The raven was considered to be sacred to Odin. When the bridge keeper is finally shown up close, it can be seen that he is one-eyed, which is Odin's most prominent feature, having sacrificed an eye to attain wisdom. Finally, when Ingeri sits in the high-seat, she suddenly has seemingly clairvoyant hearing. This is a nod to Odin's high-seat Hlidskjalf, from which he could see all things happening in the world.

Goofs
When the Boy Goat Herder is placing dirt on Karin's body, her torso moves even though she is supposed to be dead.

Quotes
Töre: You see it, God, you see it. The innocent child's death and my revenge. You allowed it. I don't understand you. Yet now I beg your forgiveness. I know no other way to be reconciled with my own hands. I know no other way to live.

Connections
Edited into Journal d un père (2023)

User reviews130

Review

Featured review

10/10

One of the most heartbreaking films I have ever seen

... and that's about all I can SAY about it. I saw this film four, maybe five years ago. And to this day, I feel a blow to my gut whenever I remember it. To this day, it haunts me - especially (and not surprisingly) the figure of the little boy.

This is a raw, uncompromising, unbiased parable on love and revenge; on humanity. It is set in 14th century Sweden - but its "message" is timeless: as timeless as love and vengefulness themselves. As timeless as humanity itself. Because the mores may change, but today, as 800 years ago, people are still helpless in their (perhaps inevitable) core existential ignorance, still subject to the immense pain of losing a loved one, of the inexplicable torments that often befall just and righteous, "good" people.

And that is what makes this a brutal, heartrending, unforgettable film.