Mai Zetterling's feminist comedy/fantasy may have enjoyed more zing and relevancy when it was first released in 1968, but viewed today it comes across as a pretentious and tiresome curio. The story revolves around three actresses (Bibi Andersson, Harriet Andersson, and Gunnel Lindblom) touring Sweden in a new theatrical production of Lysistrata, who begin to consider the relevancy of Aristophanes' classic in both their private lives and in the context of changing society (this was made at the dawning of the women's liberation movement). The film careens wildly but sloppily between surreal segments that feel like Fellini outtakes (including one actress publicly spanking her husband) and strident declarations of feminine self-value, but the screenplay by Zetterling and David Hughes never seems to figure out where the characters want to go in their lives. To its credit, the film boasts crisp black-and-white cinematography and the ensemble cast (many of whom turned up regularly in Ingmar Bergman's classics) gamely go through their paces while trying to raise the puerile material to a higher standard, but on the whole, The Girls is strictly for those who enjoy seeking out obscure European art films. On the plus side, however, DVD extras include an entertaining 1996 feature-length documentary on the late Zetterling's career that reunites the film's three stars. Optional. (P. Hall)
The Girls
New Yorker, 100 min., in Swedish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $29.95 December 25, 2006
The Girls
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