Continues Ingmar Bergman's magical journey into childhood and contrasts it with an earlier, controversial opus. Introduced by Derek Malcolm

Fanny and Alexander: 2
In four parts starring Bertil Guve as Alexander, Pernilla Allwin as Fanny
Oscar Ekdahl collapses on stage while rehearsing for Hamlet. As his grieving family gather at his bedside, Alexander is forced to confront the darker side of life. While he takes refuge in tales of being sold to the circus, his distraught mother finds solace in the comforting moral strength of Bishop Edvard Vergerus.
(A Swedish series with English subtitles)

and at 10.55 Sawdust and Tinsel
(Gycklarnas Afton)
Starring Harriet Andersson, Ake Gronberg
The down-at-heel Circus Alberti is forced to borrow costumes from a local theatre manager. While Albert toys with the idea of abandoning the Bohemian life for small-town respectability, his mistress Anne is lured into an affair with an unscrupulous actor. With its motifs of sexual betrayal and the role of the artist in society, its striking photography and music, Sawdust and Tinsel is now regarded as a milestone in Bergman's early career.
(Black and white. A Swedish film with English subtitles)
(Next week: Part 3 of Fanny and Alexander plus The Seventh Seal)
Films: page 19