After Smiles of a Summer Night, his stories are darker, his themes more openly existential, and his visual style becomes less crowded. Sep 19, 2017. smiles of a summer night by ingmar bergman screenplay, adapted for radio by Shaun McKenna A delightful fairy tale for adults. The wittiest, most daring romantic comedy of the year, starring four of Sweden's most beautiful actr. Audience Reviews for Smiles of a Summer Night. Directed by Ingmar Bergman. I have chosen this indirect way of backing into a look at "Smiles of a Summer Night" (1955), a film that acted as an artistic and professional turning point. In Smiles of a Summer Night, boudoir farce becomes lyric poetry. After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the 1955 comedy Smiles of a Summer Night (Sommarnattens leende) at last ushered in an international audience for Ingmar Bergman (The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries).In turn-of-the-century Sweden, four men and four women of different classes attempt to navigate the laws of attraction. Sommarnattens leende (Smiles of a Summer Night) is a 1955 Swedish comedy film directed by Ingmar Bergman. Directed by Ingmar Bergman • 1955 • Sweden After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the 1955 comedy Smiles of a Summer Night (Sommarnattens leende) at last ushered in an international audience for Ingmar Bergman. After fifteen films that received mostly local acclaim, the comedy Smiles of a Summer Night at last ushered in an international audience for Ingmar Bergman. In Sweden at the turn of the century, members of the upper class and their servants find themselves in a romantic tangle that they try to work out amidst jealousy and heartbreak. He had been directing films since "Torment" in 1944, with uneven results; "Summer with Monika" (1953) had some success, oddly, as soft-core porn, although it didn't qualify. In turn-of-the-century Sweden, four men and four women attempt to navigate the laws of attraction. Smiles of a summer night (article), University of California Press Journals Division. Bergman had previously been on a tight budget, but with this award he was now an international star, and could name his own terms. Smiles of a Summer Night subtitles. In turn-of-the-century Sweden, four men and four women attempt to navigate the laws of attraction. In time, Bergman’s films would exhibit a momentum that often relies as much on editing rhythm as it does on the spoken word. Proof that Bergman should have made more romantic comedies. It's charming and a lot more insightful than it's plot suggests. Along the night, with the three smiles of love, four couples are formed.