Max von Sydow: Five Films for Newcomers
March 9th, 2020, marks the unfortunate passing of Swedish acting icon Max von Sydow, whose work transcended past so many type-castings. He worked in arthouse and mainstream blockbusters; some of his final works included parts in Game of Thrones and even the latest Star Wars trilogy, and was in Flash Gordon as Ming the Merciless. He worked in English, Swedish, French, and Danish works, amongst other types of productions. He stole scenes whether he was a lead or a supporting character. For seventy years, Max von Sydow has been a constant force in cinema. He has left us at the age of ninety, just a few weeks before his ninety first birthday.
In short, Max von Sydow has many milestones that are impossible to narrow down to just five works. So, once again, we’re focusing only on five good starting points if you are unfamiliar with the filmography of this cinematic titan. Chances are you’ve seen him in films and didn’t know who he was until now. For the rest of us, we couldn’t wait to see him time and time again. Nonetheless, we’re focusing on five films for newcomers to the works of Max von Sydow, to celebrate his talents in this sorrowful time.
5. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
His role in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is slim, but it’s proof of how powerful any Max von Sydow performance can be. As Jean-Dominique Bauby’s father, von Sydow plays a multitude of roles: a metaphor of how Bauby needed tending to later on in life, and the familial disconnect created by Bauby’s concerns with his own self while running Elle. When the film needs some additional gut punches later on, von Sydow’s candid moments are exactly what Julian Schnabel ordered.
4. The Exorcist
There are so many English-language works that can be placed here, including Hannah and Her Sisters, Minority Report, and The Greatest Story Ever Told, amongst others. I went with The Exorcist, because I think many people forget how big his role —as Father Merrin — even is. He steals the entire film, as far as I’m concerned. Once he’s there to work on Regan, he represents a generation of old trying to chase current demons away (the persistent Pazuzu).
3. The Emigrants
Max von Sydow did a lot of work with actress Liv Ullmann, as both performers knew how to bounce off of one another with ease. Their finest roles together may have been the husband-wife duo trying to weather the storm in The Emigrants. This epic about survival was a major test for both performers. Max von Sydow, as the defeated patriarchal figure of the Nilsson family, exudes endurance and determination, even in the darkest hours.
2. Pelle the Conqueror
Max von Sydow was nominated twice for an Academy Award (once for a supporting role in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close). The first time was as a father torn by the sacrifices of the world in Pelle the Conqueror. He vows to take care of his son, Pelle, by bringing him to Bornholm to start a new life once his wife passes. Over this domestic epic, you find a geriatric father that uses up the last of his energy to allow his son to progress further as a young man, even if that opens a portal for the son: one which the father cannot follow through. This devotion of a father’s love finally had the Academy noticing an acting great, way too late into his career.
1. The Seventh Seal
Which Ingmar Bergman film do you even place here? Hour of the Wolf? Through a Glass Darkly? The Virgin Spring? The Magician? Winter Light? For me, the obvious choice that can encompass all of these performances is his role as knight Antonius Block in The Seventh Seal: an embodiment of all of the theological dreads Bergman faced in his lifetime. As the one person to experience death as a living entity, Block challenges his fate — due to the festering Black Plague — to a game of chess, as an effort to stall the inevitable, or to buy his life back. All of the painful monologues, and open eyed realizations of the cruel world around Block, are thanks to the early flashes of Max von Sydow’s acting brilliance. It truly is the best place to start for anyone unfamiliar with Max von Sydow’s complete capabilities.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.