Riten (The Rite) from 1969 stands out as one of the lesser-known films in Ingmar Bergman’s work from the nineteen sixties. Its relative obscurity is partly due to its original production for Swedish television rather than a wide theatrical release. However, it's also because the film doesn't measure up to his other works from that period. The story unfolds in an unnamed European country where a judge (Erik Hell) requests the presence of a traveling acting company of three performers to determine whether their play contains pornography. Two of these actors display obvious signs of neurosis: Sebastian Fisher (Anders Ek), who has a tendency to start fires, suffers from poor health, and is generally dour and rude. Thea Winkelmann (Ingrid Thulin) struggles with deep existential worries, is overly sensitive, and feels trapped by her environment. Hans Winkelmann (Gunnar Björkstrand) serves as the calm and collected force that holds the group together. By the mid-1960s, Bergman had shifted his focus from religious anxieties to exploring human connections and psychology. The actors can be interpreted as representing different facets of a single personality, an idea Bergman discusses in Images: My Life in Film. Even more puzzling is their connection to the judge, which becomes apparent in a startling final scene that I won't describe. The link between drama and religious ceremony from Ancient Greece emerges as a theme. There’s also a boldness in the film’s sexuality; it’s difficult to picture some of these scenes making it into a theatrical release at the time, much less being broadcast on television. What prevents this film from being considered among Bergman's finest? While he collaborated with his trusted cinematographer Sven Nykvist, the photography isn't particularly remarkable: the carefully composed extended shots characteristic of other films are absent here, and some camera angles feel abrupt. The film’s concerns echo those in *Tystnaden*, *Persona*, and *Vargstimmen*, and neither Hell nor Ek are very enjoyable to watch. However, Björkstrand and Thulin deliver compelling performances. Moreover, I can't help but wonder if there's a nod to Bergman's colleague Jean-Luc Godard, given the film’s structure as a series of composed scenes reminiscent of *Vivre sa vie*, and the fact that Thulin wears a wig strikingly similar to one worn by Anna Karina.

Source on TMDB