The Seventh Seal

Antonius Block (Max Von Sydow), a knight, returns from a 10-year crusade with his squire, J÷ns (Gunnar Bj÷rnstrand), to find his homeland ravaged by the plague. When the black-cloaked figure of Death (Bengt Ekerot) appears to claim them, Block, whose war experiences have left him cynical about the existence of God and the afterlife, challenges Death to a game of chess to stall for time and gain some insight into the meaning of life before passing on. The game is intermittently paused and resumed during the journey home while Block and J÷ns meet several traveling companions, including a mute girl (Gunnel Lindblom) whom they save from a bandit, and a family of poor traveling players--Jof, a gentle visionary (Nils Poppe); his wife, Mia (Bibi Andersson); and their infant daughter. Block witnesses much suffering and anguish along the way (an encounter with a woman accused of witchcraft who is about to be burned at the stake is especially jarring) but also finds evidence of human kindness and love, prompting him to realize that even a single gesture of goodwill might make the long struggle of his existence worthwhile. The title of Ingmar Bergman's highly acclaimed allegorical film stems from the Book of Revelation.

"...Bergman's early masterpiece about a 14th century chess game with Death..." - USA Today

"...Its metaphysical themes still retain their power..." - Entertainment Weekly

5 stars out of 5 -- "Bergman raised the status of post-War cinema as an art form -- he made it as serious as literature or painting or theatre -- and THE SEVENTH SEAL is arguably his finest work." - Empire

4 stars out of 5 -- "[The film] still works as a compelling dramatisation of a philosophical symposium." - Uncut

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