| Sawdust and Tinsel | |
| Director: | Ingmar Bergman |
| Producer: | Rune Waldekranz |
| Starring: | Åke Grönberg Harriet Andersson Hasse Ekman |
| Cinematography: | Hilding Bladh Sven Nykvist |
| Editing: | Carl-Olov Skeppstedt |
| Distributor: | Sandrew-Baumanfilm AB |
| Runtime: | 93 minutes |
| Country: | Sweden |
| Language: | Swedish |
Sawdust and Tinsel (sv|'''Gycklarnas afton'''|lit=The Evening of the Jesters) is a 1953 Swedish drama film directed by Ingmar Bergman.
In Sawdust and Tinsel, Bergman portrays a disturbing battle between the sexes within a circus setting. The story follows the clown Frost, who discovers that a beautiful lady bathing nude is actually his wife. The circus owner, Albert, and his mistress, Anne are facing financial difficulties and relationship problems. They seek help from a theatre director, who insults their appearance but lends them clothes. Anne encounters a man named Frans, who pursues her despite her rejection. The circus members face humiliation and horse confiscation from the police. Anne pleads with Albert not to leave her, but he remains determined to return to his wife. Anne turns to Frans for support, leading to a sexual encounter. Albert discovers the truth and confronts Anne, resulting in a chaotic scene. The circus prepares for a performance, during which Albert and Frans engage in a physical fight. Albert contemplates suicide but ultimately shoots the circus bear instead. The circus moves on, and Albert and Anne share a meaningful glance.
It has a 100% approval rating from 9 reviews listed at Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 8/10.[1] The film ranked 6th on Cahiers du Cinéma's Top 10 Films of the Year List in 1957.[2] In 2012 it was voted one of the 25 best Swedish films of all time.[3] The film was shown as part of an Ingmar Bergman Retrospective at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival in 2011.[4]