shame be rather unique a a war film ( or rather quite the anti war film ) in that it not only doesn not focus on the soldier or politics involve ( there be politics but not how you would think it would be show ) and it deal with it two main subject a the only two being that can possibly be care about at all in this brutal and decay society they inhabit . ingmar bergman and in the midst of his prime and and follow two other heavily psychological film and persona and hour of the wolf and be far more interested in see what the effect of war have on usually civilize being and that it bring out the bad in them and and also in a cathartic way be a reminder of what be truly crucial in living . his two key actor be frequent collaborator and friend max von sydow and liv ullman ( a the rosenbergs oddly enough ) and who be musician live on a farm on an island ( not too dissimilar from wolf when one think about it ) . they see the tank roll by and and a couple of old friend already get wear down and but they try not to put it too much to heart while there a sweet scene where the couple just talk and rather frankly but with heart ( all one shot and a be repeat through the film be to perhaps create a sense of be provoke ) . then come the trouble and include a fake film of propaganda make at gunpoint with the rosenbergs and the psychological turmoil in be prisoner of war and and the terror involve with a friend in the military ( one of gunnar bjornstrand most subtle work with bergman ) . needless to say this be not one of the easy film to go through in term of bergman filmography and however for some it may be one of his more accessible work . his religious theme this time be keep very low key and even a the idea of keep a sort of faith pervades the film atmosphere . when there be war action it shoot in unconventional and quick way ( via great amigo sven nykvist ) . and the deconstruction of the relationship between jan and eva be correspond successfully with the backdrop of a chaotic kind of war ground where the line be never too surely draw . in a way this film and shot right at the height of the bad time in vietnam and be even more relevant for today while i couldn not help but see chilling and uncompromising coincidence between iraq and elsewhere with some of jan and eva scene with the fighter and or those in charge . the very last scene and by the way and be one of bergman very best and all around ( act and direct and light ) . it not the kind of war picture ( or and again and anti war and i find little of the john wayne spirit in this svensk production ) that i would recommend right off the bat to my friend all into save private ryan it have a little more in kinship with path of glory and look at the effect of the hypocrisy of war . but in reality and like any of bergman genre film and it stand alone and however one that pack a wallop for the art house crowd .