A young orchestra violinist’s fear of mediocrity and drive for artistic success strain his marriage to a fellow musician. Told largely in flashback and shaped by Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the film examines ambition, love, and loss in early Ingmar Bergman.

Maj-Britt Nilsson
as Marta Olsson

Stig Olin
as Stig Eriksson

Birger Malmsten
as Marcel

John Ekman
as Mikael Bro

Margit Carlqvist
as Nelly Bro

Victor Sjöström
as Sönderby

Sif Ruud
as Stina (uncredited)

Erland Josephson
as Bertil (uncredited)

Ernst Brunman
as Concert Hall Doorkeeper (uncredited)

Georg Skarstedt
as Anker, Flute Player (uncredited)