About

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 w...

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Directed by

Ingmar Bergman

Written by

Ingmar Bergman (Screenplay)

Runtime

96 minutes

Country

Sweden

Language

Swedish

Cast

Keywords

witch demon countryside symbolism chess dying and death artist blacksmith allegory middle ages grim reaper last judgment sense of life black death 14th century crusade pest juggler playing chess witch burning death personified death incarnate

Photos

Lists

#161 on IMDb top 250 IMDb

#71 on 1,000 greatest films They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?

#335 on Empire's 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time Empire

#8 on The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema Empire