Fanny And Alexander - directed by Ingmar Bergman -1982

Today in literature class we watched a serious of old films. The third film we watched was a clip (part one and part two) of the film Fanny and Alexander.

Part One:
The beginning of the clip starts off with Oscar and Helena having a deep conversation. Helena is having a hallucination, Oscar is actually dead. It then flicks over to a young boy (Alexander) and girl (fanny) being confronted by the bishop. The maid Justina has dobbed on Alexandra for claiming that the bishop has killed his wife and children by starving them for days then drowning them.
The Bishop comes off as a man of discipline. He wants the truth from Alexandra and is convinced he isn't getting it. At first he uses love to get the truth, "i love you". The boy is still in denial. The bishop turns from a warm and trustful man to a deceitful and impatient one. He uses fear to extract the truth from the boy; threatening him with a cane, castor oil and Isolation. The boy confesses that he spread those rumors but is still punished with the cane despite his confession and is also sent into the attic.
Alexandra comes across as a small adult and a bit of a smart arse. He isn't afraid of speaking his mind.

Part Two
Alexandra is beaten by the cane. His "stubborn" nature is revealed when he refuses to ask for forgiveness. The bishop beats him once and that is all that is needed for Alexandra to give in and beg forgiveness. Fanny is defiant towards the bishop; her turning away from his hand shows she does not acknowledge him as a father figure.
Emilie confesses her troubles and worries about her children, Alexandra and Fanny, to Helena. In this conversation it is revealed that the Bishop is Emilie's husband, stepfather to the children. The stepfathers unforgiving and cruel nature unravels in this conversation; him punishing Alexandra and Fanny by sending them to the attic and just anticipating to "crush them".
Emilie is a lost character. She confesses she only agreed to marry him because of the "truth" and "happiness" he promised to bring her. She is very gullible and feels as if she is "dying" and can't "breathe". Though she has tried for divorce she is unable to escape him. Now she is pregnant and feels trapped with the man she so "violently" hates.
Alexandra had problems of his own. He is feels as if he is going to go "mad from fear". The ghosts of his stepfathers children mock him and promise to drive him "insane". The mother comes to his aid.