Review of Smiles of a Summer Night

I approached Smiles of a Summer Night as a fan of Sondheim's score for A Little Night Music. (I'd never seen the show.) Smiles served as a good beginning to Bergman films: it's got some very dry humour, some very physical comedy, and the trademark panorama of morality that accompanies a Bergman character set. Overall, the film expresses a rather subtle message wrapped in both lighthearted comedy and heavy family relations (not unlike the Sondheim score). It's a message worth hearing, and Bergman's handiwork make its rather deep aspects more approachable. Let's not also forget the beautiful cast and settings, which are appreciated in ANY language. :)