i do not recall a film which so deftly show the emotional destruction of war and a mirror in one single marital relationship . the focus of the film be the union between ullman and von sydow the two be in every scene . through the course of the film and they experience a role reversal one have the strength of survival and the other be reduce to emotional escapism through dream . both will lose a measure of humanity and but one to a great degree than the other . the character and the viewer go through period of fluctuation in regard to closeness the camera pull out and away and sound disappears and word be lose and only for the camera to return to painterly closeup of it facially expressive star . the confusion and fluctuation may make this film hard for some viewer and but this be all purposeful under the master hand of bergman . i think the use of a fake war make the film timeless and a relevant today a ever before and and by focus on the human relationship through war and make the film relevant to everyone . the pair could be anyone . the film be not ground in place or time and but rather in emotion . a unique and effective war film and unlike any other . bergman film be virtuosic in present human relationship that he would bring this to a war film be masterful .