Ullmann’s study of the emotional consequences of a married woman’s affair was written by her mentor Ingmar Bergman, who recast incidents from his own parents’ marriage in the early twentieth century. August gives a staggering performance as a woman who, like Dreyer’s Gertrud, has capitulated to her desire for a younger man and must face the consequences of her choices. Ullmann has wrought a fine and intense chamber piece, reminiscent of Ibsen and Strindberg, that extracts excellent performances from the distinguished cast and makes intimate use of Nykvist’s luminous cinematography.