Shame (1968 film)

Shame Swedish Skammen is a 1968 Swedish blackandwhite film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, and starring Liv Ullmann and Max von Sydow. The film explores shame, stress, jealousy, selfloathing and anxiety through a politically unaware couple attempting to flee a warravaged European nation. Parts of Shame would be addressed in characters dreams in Bergmans later film, The Passion of Anna.

When they return, their farmhouse becomes the site of a bloody siege. Jan and Eva are rounded up by the invading force. They are interrogated on camera, and finally spared. They are later interrogated by the other side of the war in a building with many other people from town. While the couple is interrogated, they are forced to watch the video of the previous interrogation which uses Evas image but falsifies with another voice which claims support for the invaders. This is primarily a scare tactic.Eventually, they are released by Col. Jacobi. They are driven home, their relationship is considerably weaker and more hostile. Jacobi becomes a regular, if not uncomfortably constant, visitor who treats them with gifts but also has the power to send the couple to a work camp. This relationship is manipulative, both Eva and Jan feel irritated and disgusted by it. Jacobi convinces Eva to provide him with sexual favors in exchange for his bank account savings, during the coercion, it is implied she has slept with him before for some monetary gain. They go into the green house to have sex while Jan is resting. He wakes, calling Evas name. Eventually, he goes upstairs and finds Jacobis savings on the bed and begins to cry. Eva enters, Jacobi stays outside and turns to leave. She harshly comments to Jan now crying on the stairs beside the door that he can continue sobbing if he feels it will help. Only a few moments have passed and soldiers have surrounded their home, they lead Jacobi back into the house. It is an investigation into Jacobis corruption. The couple is questioned. Jacobi explains his freedom can be bought, as the side of the war who is here is in desperate need of money. Jacobi, the soldiers, even Eva, are asking where the money is. Jan states he does not know what money they are talking about. Because the money is not produced, the soldiers raid the house, destroying everything, lighting the remains on fire. ........

Source: Wikipedia