Miss Julie (1951)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Adapted from August Strindberg's play, this Swedish drama tells the story of the aristocratic Miss Julie (Anita Bjork), who's been taught by her mother to hate men. In spite of her contempt, she begins an affair with the misanthropic valet Jean (Ulf Palme), their relationship defined by deep passion - and even deeper animosity.
- Actors:
- Anita Björk, Ulf Palme, Märta Dorff, Lissi Alandh, Anders Henrikson, Inga Gill, Åke Fridell, Kurt-Olof Sundström, Max von Sydow, Margaretha Krook, Åke Claesson, Inger Norberg, Jan Hagerman
- Directors:
- Alf Sjöberg
- Writers:
- Alf Sjöberg, August Strindberg
- Aka:
- Froken Julie
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama
- Collections:
- People of the Pictures, Remembering: Max von Sydow, Top 10 Cannes Palme d'Or Winners, Top Films
- Countries:
- Sweden
- Awards:
More like Miss Julie
Reviews (1) of Miss Julie
Gorgeous Filmmaking, Grim Company - Miss Julie review by griggs
I came to this with zero Strindberg baggage — never read the play, barely knew it existed before sitting down to watch it. Probably should've done my homework, but it meant I was reacting to the film on its own terms.
And on those terms, there's a lot to like. Anita Björk plays Julie with real desperation simmering under all that composure, while Ulf Palme's Jean stays calculating without curdling into a pantomime villain, despite his Dick Dastardly hair and moustache. Alf Sjöberg works wonders with one house and one night, weaving flashbacks in so smoothly you barely notice the joins. The Cannes prize makes total sense — the craft's all there.
The thing is, the gender politics have aged terribly. Julie gets punished relentlessly for wanting anything at all, and the film seems entirely on board with that.
So: gorgeous filmmaking, slightly grim company. Worth watching, just don't expect it to be on her side.