Persona story
Persona is a 1966 Swedish psychological drama film, written and directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann. The story revolves around a young nurse named Alma (Andersson) and her patient, well-known stage actress Elisabet Vogler (Ullmann), who has suddenly stopped speaking. They move to a cottage, where Alma cares for Elisabet, confides in her and begins having trouble distinguishing herself from her patient.
15 total · 2 choice · 8 major · 5 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| human nature | choice | At the core of the story was the idea that we all play-act our way through life, that we are all conceited liars through and through. |
| human self-reflection | choice | Both women were analyzing their own innermost feelings. |
| acting | major | It was suggested that Elisabet compulsively studied people in order to become an even better actress. |
| celebrity worship | major | Alma idolized the actress Elisabet |
| lesbianism | major | Alma had wet dreams involving Elisabet |
| love-hate relationship | major | Alma and Elisabet were torn between affection and loathing |
| mental illness | major | Elisabet had shut herself off from the world and refused to speak |
| mother and son | major | Elisabet and her son indirectly - Elisabet did not want the child and may have longed for its death |
| parental love | major | Elisabet's lack of love for her baby was revealed as central towards the end |
| unrequited love | major | it seemed Alma pined after Elisabet who merely studied her as if studying a bug |