English Title: Torment
Svensk Filmindustri (SF)
Starring: Alf Kjellin, Stig Järrel, Mai Zetterling
Directed by: Alf Sjöberg

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: An early screenplay by Ingmar Bergman, Torment is the story of Jan-Erik Widgren (Alf Kjellin), a student pushed to the brink by a sadistic and cruel Latin professor whom the students have nicknamed Caligula (Stig Järrel.)  Idealistically Widgren longs for one true love but comes to care for a not-so-innocent salesgirl named Bertha (Mai Zetterling) who is being tormented by another lover.  As it turns out the two have more in common than they realize.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The scene larcenist in this film is a small tabby kitten with white paws named Pelle.

The kitten lives in Bertha’s apartment and is front and center in several scenes, including Widgren’s first visit and consequent tucking Bertha in for the night, as well as the scene in the apartment in which Caligula tells her a harrowing story about his experience with a cat when he was younger.  The kitten is also featured with Widgren in the end.

Kitty Carnage Warning!  The story which Caligula tells about drowning a cat is horrible, and he holds out Pelle by the scruff as he’s telling it (though thankfully he does not end up hurting the kitten.)

Final Mewsings: Cats don’t know Latin, so there really isn’t any need to learn it from a sadistic teacher.

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