A Ship to India Poster

A Ship to India 1947

★ 6.554 votes96 min📅 1947-09-22

Set against the storm-lashed coastlines of 1940s Sweden, Ingmar Bergman's *A Ship to India (1947)* weaves a haunting tale of family, freedom, and the ghosts of the past.

Director: Ingmar Bergman

Cast

Holger Löwenadler
Holger Löwenadler
Captain Alexander Blom
Anna Lindahl
Anna Lindahl
Alice Blom
Birger Malmsten
Birger Malmsten
Johannes Blom
Gertrud Fridh
Gertrud Fridh
Sally
Naemi Briese
Naemi Briese
Selma
Hjördis Petterson
Hjördis Petterson
Sofi
Lasse Krantz
Lasse Krantz
Hans
Jan Molander
Jan Molander
Bertil
Erik Hell
Erik Hell
Pekka
Åke Fridell
Åke Fridell
Variety Hall Manager

Frequently Asked Questions

What is A Ship to India (1947) about?

The film follows a sailor who returns home after years at sea, revisiting painful memories of his abusive father, a salvage ship, and a doomed romance. Through flashbacks, it examines the suffocating grip of family conflict and the desperate quest for escape and forgiveness.

Who directed A Ship to India?

Ingmar Bergman directed *A Ship to India*. This early work showcases his emerging talent for exploring psychological depth and emotional intensity in family dynamics.

Who stars in A Ship to India?

Holger Löwenadler, Anna Lindahl, Birger Malmsten, Gertrud Fridh, and Naemi Briese lead the cast, bringing Bergman's troubled characters to life with raw conviction.

Is A Ship to India (1947) worth watching?

*A Ship to India* may not be as widely known as Bergman's later masterpieces, but it's a compelling watch for fans of mid-century drama and psychological storytelling. Its themes of family strife and longing resonate, even as its pacing feels deliberate compared to modern films.

How long is A Ship to India?

The film runs for 96 minutes, offering a concise but potent dive into its emotional core.

About A Ship to India (1947) — A Storm-Tossed Family Drama by Ingmar Bergman

Set against the storm-lashed coastlines of 1940s Sweden, Ingmar Bergman's *A Ship to India (1947)* weaves a haunting tale of family, freedom, and the ghosts of the past. A young sailor returns home after years at sea, only to confront memories of his brutal father and a salvage ship that became both a prison and a stage for forbidden love. Through layered flashbacks, Bergman dissects the fractures within a household where control and cruelty dictate every relationship. The film pulses with melancholy beauty, blending raw emotional turmoil with the stark poetry of the sea, marking a pivotal moment in the legendary Swedish director's artistic evolution.

Cast in the shadow of patriarchal tyranny, the story explores the cost of escape and the weight of unresolved affection. As the sailor grapples with guilt, betrayal, and the yearning for redemption, Bergman crafts a drama that lingers like the salty tang of ocean air. With its moody cinematography and deeply human characters, *A Ship to India* stands as an early testament to the director's signature themes of isolation and moral reckoning.