In Levi’s vision, the problem of loneliness can be addressed by adjusting the pragmatics of mutual dependence; at first, these changes are painful, but eventually everyone is better off—which is to say, better at achieving their goals. For Bergman, connecting is the goal, and it’s not clear that we can do it. It is when Johan and Marianne realize this that they become “citizens of reality,” a loss of innocence from which they cannot recover. Can any marriage survive an honest reckoning with itself? Can you get close enough to any person for life to feel real? These are Bergman’s questions; Levi doesn’t ask them.
Agnes Callard discusses the remake of Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage. Another post exploring the reality of marriage is Caryn James’ piece exploring different representations within film. This encourages me to return to the short stories of Frank Moorhouse.
