The Seventh Seal (1957)
The story of a challenge to death.
Director: Ingmar Bergman · Writer: Ingmar Bergman
When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.
Where to watch
HBO Max Amazon Channel
HBO Max
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Trailer
Director
Ingmar Bergman
Cast
Gunnar Björnstrand
Jöns 
Bengt Ekerot
Death 
Nils Poppe
Jof 
Max von Sydow
Antonius Block 
Bibi Andersson
Mia 
Inga Gill
Lisa 
Maud Hansson
Witch 
Inga Landgré
Karin 
Gunnel Lindblom
Mute Girl 
Bertil Anderberg
Raval 
Anders Ek
Monk 
Åke Fridell
Plog User Reviews (3)
Interesting and iconic movie about faith and the meaning of life. A must seen.
**The universality and invincibility of Death, the fear of dying, the importance of faith and its use by the Church in a timeless film, but not suitable for everyone.** The film, set in the late Middle Ages, begins with a knight returning to his homeland in Sweden after participating in the crusades. When he spots the figure of Death, who has come to get him, he decides to try to gain time by inviting her to play chess: if he wins the game, Death will not take him. What follows is a huge film essay around the themes of death, beliefs, faith, religion and the role of spirituality in human experience. While the plague is raging and claiming victims, we see people increasingly scared, and blindly resorting to faith to protect themselves from what looks like the end of times. We see people's daily lives, with their mistakes, virtues, sins and difficulties. We see the knight himself, wi…
Now of course everyone’s favourite Max von Sydow film is “Flash Gordon” (1980) but I reckon this performance for Ingmar Bergman might be almost as good! With the dreaded Black Death sweeping his homeland, “Block” (MvS) returns from the Crusades with his squire “Jöns” (Gunnar Björnstrand) only to find himself barely off the boat before he encounters the apparently quite reasonable grim reaper himself. “Block” invites him (Bengt Ekerot) to play a game of chess, on condition that he is left to live for the duration of the game and that if he wins, then he is to be allowed to go free. The game isn’t played as one continuous effort, though, and that allows the knight to travel the land experiencing just how the toxic combinations of the sickness and the religious wars have impacted on a population rife with poverty, fear and superstition. Indeed, as the pair attempt to g…
