The Seventh Seal (1957)

Seventh Seal (1957) is one of my favorite movies. I have to rank it up there with A Touch of Zen, Seven Samurai and Battleship Potemkin. If there ever was such a thing as a perfect film, this one would have to be a nominee. I've never seen such a picture (and I probably never will) that was so moving, well shot, written, acted and directed. The chess game between the knight and death is an all-time classic. Words cannot describe how great this film is. There will never be another one like it. Truly amazing piece of celluloid.

A knight and his squire are returning home from the crusades. For the past few years he's been in the middle east fighting for Christ. On his trip home he notices a familiar face, one that he has seen many times on the battlefield. It is death and it wants him to come with him to his new home. The knight strikes a bargain with death, they'll play a game of chess if he can defeat death then he'll spare his life as well as the squire's. Death is amused by this unusual challenge and accepts it. But as long as the game is on the life will continue to live. So he uses this time to look back at life and realizes how precious it is. Along the way he meets a young couple, they're from a performing troupe. They have a baby and are content with life. The husband has visions and can see interesting things like the Virgin Mary and little Jesus. He can also see the darkness that lies ahead as Black Death ravages the countryside. Will the knight defeat Death? Can the couple weather the storm of chaos that lies ahead? To find out you'll have to watch The Seventh Seal, one of the finest films ever made.

If Bergman never made another film this one would have made him a legendary film maker. But he continued to make even more classic cinema. This one however is his finest work.

My highest recommendation possible.