Sawdust and Tinsel

Original title: Gycklarnas afton

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

The complicated relationships between a circus ringmaster, his estranged wife and his lover.The complicated relationships between a circus ringmaster, his estranged wife and his lover.The complicated relationships between a circus ringmaster, his estranged wife and his lover.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

7.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Photos118

+ 111

Top cast32

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Åke Grönberg

Albert Johansson

Harriet Andersson

Anne

Hasse Ekman

Frans

Anders Ek

Frost

Gudrun Brost

Alma

Annika Tretow

Agda

Erik Strandmark

Jens

Gunnar Björnstrand

Mr. Sjuberg

Curt Löwgren

Blom

Kiki

The Dwarf

Lissi Alandh

Theatre Actress
(uncredited)

Julie Bernby

Ropewalker
(uncredited)

John W. Björling

Greven - Circus Artist
(uncredited)

Naemi Briese

Mrs. Meijer - Circus Artist
(uncredited)

Michael Fant

Fair Anton
(uncredited)

Karl-Axel Forssberg

Theatre Actor
(uncredited)

Åke Fridell

Artillery Officer
(uncredited)

Erna Groth

Theatre Actress
(uncredited)

Director
- Ingmar Bergman
Writer
- Ingmar Bergman
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Bergman's first collaboration with cinematographer Sven Nykvist.

Goofs
When Anne is at the theatre and standing in the middle of the stage, the orientation of how she holds her parasol changes from the long shot to the medium shot.

Quotes
Frost: I had a dream this afternoon while I slept off the booze. I dreamt that Alma came to me and said, "Poor Frost, you look tired and sad. Wouldn't you like to rest a while?" "Yes," I said. "I'll make you small as a little unborn child," she said. "You can climb into my womb and sleep in peace." So I did as she said and crept inside her womb and I slept there so soundly and peacefully, rocked to sleep as if in a cradle. Then I got smaller and smaller, until at last I was just a tiny seed, and then I was gone.

Alternate versions
A scene in the first half of the film, in which the circus troupe parades into town to publicize their show, is unaccountably missing from the American version. In this scene, one furthering the film's theme of humiliation, the local police confiscate the performers' horses, which forces them to pull the heavy wagons back to their camp themselves.

Connections
Edited into Short cuts från Sandrews (1999)

User reviews38

Review

Featured review

8/10

All the Fun of the Unfair...

Poor old Frost performs as a circus clown, carrying a heavily burdened scowl and quite a frown, since his wife went to sea, for the army all to see, ridiculed without makeup or a gown.

Poor Albert is the big circus ringmaster, the performances are all a disaster, the takings are low, he know wants to go, but his wife won't have him back to harass her.

Anne travels as Albert's companion, but theatre Frans has set his sights on, getting her to perform, with a pendant to charm, but the lustre is shallow and a con.

Albert hears of Anne's closed candid meeting, in the circus ring Frans' smugly seating, there follows a brawl, the ringmaster does fall, the cuckold takes another shameful beating.

The humiliation of three tortured souls of the circus, as their dignity is stripped like flesh from a freshly slaughtered carcass.