The deeply sincere, dedicated and authentic Swedish actor Max von Sydow (April 10, 1929 - March 8, 2020) has died at age 90.

Guest contributor Bob DiMucci has provided this extensive tribute to his performing career:

The Films of Max von Sydow

Max von Sydow made his film debut in the 1949 Swedish feature ONLY A MOTHER (Bara en Mor). The film was a generation-spanning tale about serf wife “Maria” (Eva Dahlbeck), covering her life from a young beautiful girl with dreams of love to a worn-out mother, who only lives for her children. Von Sydow had a supporting role as “Nils.” Alf Sjöberg directed the film, which was scored by Dag Wirén. The film finally played in the U.S. in 1981, when it was shown at the New York Film Festival.

Max von Sydow (at age 20) in ONLY A MOTHER

Max von Sydow’s second film happened to be Bibi Andersson’s film debut. She appeared in a bit part as a dancing girl in the 1951 film MISS JULIE ("Fröken Julie"). In this romantic drama, the daughter (Anita Björk) of a Count in 19th century Sweden begins to realize her attraction to one of her family's servants (Ulf Palme). Von Sydow plays a bibulous groom named “Hand.”

Alf Sjöberg directed and wrote the film, based on the play of the same name by August Strindberg. The film was scored by Dag Wirén. MISS JULIE tied with MIRACLE IN MILAN for the Grand Prize at the 1951 Cannes Film Festival.

Bibi Andersson's second film for Ingmar Bergman was Max von Sydow’s first for the director. In THE SEVENTH SEAL, a knight (von Sydow) and his squire (Gunnar Bjornstrand) are returning home from the Crusades. Exhausted, they decide to spend the night on a desolated beach. On the morning after, the knight encounters Death (Bengt Ekerot), who tells him that his time is up.

The knight challenges Death to a game of chess. If he wins, Death will have to let him live. If he loses, Death can have his soul. Death quickly agrees and the two begin playing. As they continue their journey back home, the knight and his squire encounter a group of actors. They also befriend "Jof/Joseph" (Nils Poppe) and "Mia/Mary" (Bibi Andersson), a young couple with a beautiful child, who choose to join them.

Bergman began writing the screenplay for THE SEVENTH SEAL while he was in Stockholm's Karolinska Hospital, recovering from a stomach complaint. The script was initially rejected. Bergman would end up rewriting it five times. It was only after the success of SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT at Cannes that it started to be considered more seriously. Erik Nordgren scored the 1957 film.

Max von Sydow and Gunnar Björnstrand in THE SEVENTH SEAL

Bibi Andersson co-starred with silent cinema actor/director Victor Sjöström in Ingmar Bergman's 1957 romantic drama WILD STRAWBERRIES. In the film, "Professor Isak Borg" (Sjöström) is a 78-year-old widower. He embarks on a car journey from Stockholm to Lund, where he is to receive a honorary degree from his old university.

The egotistical scientist is accompanied by his daughter-in-law "Marianne" (Ingrid Thulin). Although pregnant, she is planning to separate from her husband. En-route she and Isak meet a squabbling married couple and a trio of hitch-hikers. One of them, "Sara" (Bibi Andersson), reminds the old man of his long-lost childhood love. Max von Sydow has a featured role as “Henrik Åkerman,” a gas-station owner grateful to Professor Borg for services rendered in the past.

Ingmar Bergman came up with the idea for the film while driving from Stockholm to Dalarna, stopping in Uppsala where he had been born and raised, and driving by outside his grandmother's old house, when he suddenly began to think about how it would be if he could open the door and inside it would be just as it had been during his childhood. "So it struck me - what if you could make a film about this; that you just walk up in a realistic way and open a door, and then you walk into your childhood, and then you open another door and come back to reality, and then you make a turn around a street corner and arrive in some other period of your existence, and everything goes on, lives. That was actually the idea behind WILD STRAWBERRIES."

Eight minutes of Erik Nordgren's score was re-recorded by Adriano and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra for a 1998 Marco Polo CD, "The Bergman Suites."

In Ingmar Bergman's BRINK OF LIFE, three women (Eva Dahlbeck, Ingrid Thulin, and Bibi Andersson) reveal their lives and intimate thoughts to each other while in a maternity ward together, where they face the choice of keeping their babies or offering them for adoption. All three actresses, along with Barbro Hiort af Ornäs, who played the hospital nurse, shared the Best Actress Award at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival, where Bergman won the Best Director prize, and the film won the Palme d'Or. Max von Sydow has a supporting role as “Harry Andersson,” the husband of Eva Dahlbeck’s character “Stina Andersson.”

Years later, Bergman said: "BRINK OF LIFE is a modest and somewhat effeminate ragout, which probably was considered good in its time. Today, it is quite impossible and completely outdated. After all, the compact femininity that I lived with for seven weeks, I decided never again to have women do, whether in art or life."

The film has no musical score, just a few bars from a radio at 10:55 PM in the film. The tune played is Sweden's national anthem indicating the end of the broadcast that day.

Eva Dahlbeck and Max von Sydow in BRINK OF LIFE

The imposing charlatan "Albert Emanuel Vogler" (Max von Sydow) is the subject of Ingmar Bergman's 1958 film THE MAGICIAN. Vogler moves his small troupe from town to town, selling potions and demonstrating "animal magnetism" theories. Vogler's assistant "Mr. Amari" is really his wife "Manda" (Ingrid Thulin), dressed as a man in an effort to thwart the police. Entering a new town, the troupe is detained by "Police Chief Starbeck" (Toivo Pawlo) and "Dr. Vergerus," the medical examiner (Gunnar Björnstrand) at the house of "Consul Egerman" (Erland Josephson), a fan of spiritualism. While at the Egerman household, both the cook and the maid "Sara" (Bibi Andersson) become romantically interested in the visitors.

In THE VIRGIN SPRING, farmer and ex-soldier “Töre” (Max von Sydow) has converted to Christianity to please his wife “Märeta” (Birgitta Valberg) and is sufficiently prosperous to spoil his beloved daughter “Karin” (Birgitta Pettersson). Karin dresses in finery to deliver candles to the local church, accompanied by her adopted sister, the pregnant and unloved “Ingeri” (Gunnel Lindblom). Ingeri broods with jealousy and secretly prays to the pagan god Odin to strike Karin down. Karin is alone and unprotected when she meets a trio of herdsmen on the trail - who aren't as friendly as they appear.

Max von Sydow was only ten years older than Birgitta Pettersson, who plays his daughter in this movie. The film was inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s RASHOMON (1950), and director Ingmar Bergman once called his 1960 film "a lousy imitation of Kurosawa." Erik Nordgren’s score has not had a release.

Max von Sydow and Birgitta Pettersson in THE VIRGIN SPRING

While vacationing on a remote island retreat, a family’s already fragile ties are tested when daughter “Karin” (Harriet Andersson) discovers her father has been using her schizophrenia for his own literary means. As she drifts in and out of lucidity, the father (Gunnar Björnstrand), along with Karin’s husband (Max von Sydow) and her younger brother (Lars Passgård) are unable to prevent Karin’s harrowing descent into the abyss of mental illness. Ingmar Bergman’s THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY presents an unflinching vision of a family’s near-disintegration and a tortured psyche further taunted by God’s intangible presence.

Max von Sydow and Gunnar Björnstrand in THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY

Only the four people mentioned above appear on screen throughout the entirety of the 1961 film. Somewhat uncharacteristically, Ingmar Bergman heaped praise on the finished film. He remarked that "the film is above reproach technically and dramatically." However, some critics in the United States were initially dismissive of the film. A critic from Films in Review suggested that "Bergman may be approaching the end of his vogue." Nevertheless, the film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Bergman’s second film in a row to win that award. Erik Nordgren’s score has not been released.

In the austere WINTER LIGHT, a Lutheran minister (Gunnar Björnstrand) practices mass without feeling, offers his own feelings of helplessness to a suicidal man (Max von Sydow) who reaches out to him, and treats his loving mistress (Ingrid Thulin) with nothing but disdain, since the only true believer in his clergy is the hunchback sexton.

Max von Sydow, Gunnel Lindblom, and Ingrid Thulin in WINTER LIGHT

A considerable number of the scenes had to be re-shot due to technical problems with sound and film stock. When she saw the completed film, Ingmar Bergman's then wife Käbi Laretei said, "Yes, Ingmar, it's a masterpiece. But it's a dreary masterpiece." Nevertheless, it was Bergman's favorite of his own films. Evald Andersson provided the film’s uncredited score.

Max von Sydow appeared in his first English-language film in the 1965 biblical epic THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. He played the starring role of Jesus. Although von Sydow had appeared in numerous imported foreign-language films, he was still largely unknown to American audiences. Producer-director George Stevens wanted an unknown actor free of secular and unseemly associations in the mind of the public.

Max von Sydow in THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

While keen to break into Hollywood movies, Max von Sydow was initially hesitant about taking on such an iconic role. He said that the hardest part about playing Christ was the expectations people had of him to remain in character at all times. He could not smoke between takes, have a drink after work, or be affectionate with his wife on the set. Although playing Jesus, von Sydow was actually an avowed atheist.

Although not strictly correct, rumors abounded that George Stevens edited all of von Sydow's scenes to make it appear that he never blinked. Alfred Newman re-recorded excerpts of his score for a United Artists LP, which was re-issued on CD by EMI in 1990. In 1998, Rykodisc released the complete original score, which was re-issued by Varese Sarabande in 2004.

Later in 1965, Max Von Sydow co-starred with Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. and Yvette Mimieux in THE REWARD, a desert-set drama in which Zimbalist plays “Frank Bryant,” a man who flees to Mexico from charges of kidnapping and murdering a boy in the United States. Von Sydow plays “Scott Swenson,” who operates a crop-dusting service based in El Paso, and who discovers that $50,000 has been offered for Bryant's capture, dead or alive.

Location scenes were filmed in Death Valley. Serge Bourguignon directed and co-wrote the film. Elmer Bernstein’s score was released by Intrada in 2002.

Max von Sydow co-starred with Julie Andrews and Richard Harris in the 1966 epic HAWAII. In 1820, following his graduation from the Yale Divinity School, tall, gangling, bumbling “Abner Hale” (von Sydow) volunteers to carry the word of God to the heathen natives of Hawaii. In need of a wife before he can offer himself to the service, he timorously proposes to “Jerusha Bromley” (Andrews), a young woman in love with an adventurous sea captain, “Rafer Hoxworth” (Harris), from whom she has not received a letter in over three years.

The real-life sons of Max von Sydow, Henrik von Sydow and Clas S. von Sydow, both played his son, “Micah,” at different ages during this movie. Henrik played a seven-year-old Micah, and Clas played a twelve-year-old Micah.

Charlton Heston was offered both the roles played by Harris and von Sydow. Despite rejecting both parts, Heston appeared in the sequel, THE HAWAIIANS (1970), as “Whip Hoxworth,” grown son of Richard Harris' character in this movie.

Richard Harris, Julie Andrews, and Max von Sydow in HAWAII

Producer Walter Mirisch hired veteran Fred Zinnemann to produce and direct the film in 1960. Zinnemann brought with him screenwriter Daniel Taradash, as they had already successfully partnered in bringing FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) to the screen. But after two years, Taradash was not able to condense the epic book by James A. Michener into a filmable screenplay. When, after two more years' development, Mirisch hired Dalton Trumbo to take over the script, Zinnemann left the project after United Artists rejected his concept of a four-hour movie to be shown in two parts. In the end, much of James Michener's novel was left out of this adaptation. The sequel used additional material from the book.

George Roy Hill took over as director before shooting began and, after being temporarily replaced by Arthur Hiller, finished the picture. Both Trumbo and Taradash ultimately received screenwriting credit. Location scenes were filmed in Norway, New England, Tahiti, and Hawaii. Elmer Bernstein’s re-recorded score was released on a United Artists LP. The LP was re-issued, along with the original soundtrack (in mono), by Varese Sarabande in 2003. HAWAII was the top grossing film of 1966, pulling in nearly $39 million.

In THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM, when two British Intelligence agents are murdered in Berlin, “Quiller” (George Segal), an American agent, is given the task of finding the leader of a neo-Nazi movement attempting to infect German thinking. Under the watchful eye of “Pol” (Alec Guinness), head of Berlin Control, Quiller follows a newspaper lead and visits a school where a teacher convicted of Nazi war crimes recently hanged himself. There Quiller is attracted to the teacher's replacement, “Inge” (senta Berger), and visits her at her apartment. Upon leaving, he is picked up by the Nazis, drugged, and brought for questioning to their headquarters. When he refuses, despite torture, to reveal the location of Berlin Control, the Nazi leader, “Oktober” (Max von Sydow), orders him dumped into the icy waters of a canal.

Max von Sydow and George Segal in THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM

Michael Anderson directed the 1966 film. John Barry’s score was released on a Columbia LP, which was re-issued on CD by Varese Sarabande in 1988 and by Intrada in 2012.

Back with Ingmar Bergman, Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann co-starred in 1968’s HOUR OF THE WOLF. While vacationing on a remote Scandanavian island with his younger pregnant wife (Ullmann), an artist (von Sydow) has an emotional breakdown while confronting his repressed desires.

Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann in HOUR OF THE WOLF

Ingmar Bergman originally penned the script in 1964 under the title "The Cannibals". A serious bout of pneumonia led him to reconsider the project while lying in hospital. He deemed it to be potentially too expensive in concept and execution. Bergman revised the script idea into a more low-budget piece which he filmed as PERSONA in 1966. Lars Johan Werle’s score for HOUR OF THE WOLF has not had a release.

ngmar Bergman’s SHAME is set in the midst of a civil war, where former violinists “Jan and Eva Rosenberg” (Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann), who have a tempestuous marriage, run a farm on a rural island. In spite of their best efforts to escape their homeland, the war impinges on every aspect of their lives.

The film project was originally entitled "Kriget" ("The War"). During the re-writing of the script it was changed to "Skammens drömmar" ("Dreams of Shame"). The final title emerged when the film turned out to be less dreamy than it was originally intended. The film was Ingmar Bergman's only depiction of the future. Although generally regarded as one of Bergman's finest films, the director himself was largely unhappy with the film. In his book Images: My Life in Film, Bergman wrote that he felt the script was uneven, resulting in a poor first half. The 1968 film did not have an original score.

MADE IN SWEDEN, not to be confused with “Maid In Sweden,” is a 1969 Swedish drama directed by Johan Bergenstråhle, who also wrote the script based on Sven Fagerberg 's novel The White-Painted Heart (Det Vitmålade Hjärtat). The film is about journalists “Kristina” (Lena Granhagen) and “Jörgen” (Per Myrberg) who travel to Thailand to investigate rumors that a Swedish company is engaged in illegal arms sales there. This story is interspersed with scenes that serve as a political or moral lessons. It also directs criticism at how the West economically exploits developing countries. For example, wealthy Swedish industrialist “Magnus Rud” (Max von Sydow), whom the main characters meet in Thailand, notes that no company directors are Thais.

Writer-director Johan Bergenstråhle began his career as a film critic in 1958, and became fascinated by the French New Wave films of Truffaut and Chabrol. He became popular as a stage director and had a long stretch at Stockholm City Theatre. Beginning in 1965, he began directing films for Swedish television. MADE IN SWEDEN was his first feature film. Producer Bengt Forslund had been producing since 1966, and had three features under his belt at the time of MADE IN SWEDEN. Lena Granhagen was a Swedish actress and singer who began her film career as a decorative blonde in supporting roles. Per Myrberg was also an actor/singer. Myrberg had worked steadily in Swedish television, films, and theater since 1957.

The 94-minute color film, produced by Svensk Filmindustri, had a lengthy shoot. It was filmed from 2 January 1968 to 3 July 1968 in Stockholm and Faro, Sweden; Bangkok, Thailand; and in India and Pakistan. The film’s score was by Bengt Ernryd, and the film also included several tracked songs, among them The Beatles’ “In My Life” sung by Judy Collins, and “Billy the Kid” sung by Burl Ives. MADE IN SWEDEN opened in Sweden on 17 March 1969. The film was shown in competition at the 1969 Berlin International Film Festival, which was held from June 25 to July 6, 1969. There it won a Silver Bear award and was reviewed by Variety’s ”Hawk” in a review published on 9 July 1969. Over the next year it played in much of Europe, but it never had a U.S. theatrical release.

Following MADE IN SWEDEN, Johan Bergenstråhle would continue directing Swedish television and features through most of the 1970s, but only sporadically after that. In all, he directed 14 films between 1965 and 1994. He died in 1995 at the age of 60. Bengt Forslund would go on to produce and co-write two of director Jan Troell’s most famous films--THE EMIGRANTS and THE NEW LAND. Forslund would receive two Oscar nominations for THE EMIGRANTS. Lena Franhagen did not act again in films for 8 years, instead concentrating on theater and recordings. Per Myrberg continued film acting, and supplied voiceovers for the Swedish versions of Disney’s THE ARISTOCATS (1970) and THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989), in which he voiced “Sebastian” the crab. A more recent appearance was in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.

Although an English-language version was created for MADE IN SWEDEN, no English-language or English-subtitled video has been released in the U.S.

In THE PASSION OF ANNA, "Andreas Winkelman" (Max von Sydow) is a book-reading ex-con, imprisoned as a check forger, who lives as a peaceful loner on a barren island, after his wife left him. One day his crippled widowed neighbor "Anna Fromm" (Liv Ullmann) asks him if she can use his phone. The chance encounter leads to a live-in relationship for a year and brings him into contact with her best friends, a compromised middle-class married couple--the insecure but attractive "Eva Vergerus" (Bibi Andersson) and the cocky "Elis Vergerus" (Erland Josephson).

This picture was filmed in the aftermath of Ingmar Bergman's break-up with Liv Ullmann on the island where they had lived together. Bergman uses an interesting method during the film of showing short interviews with each of the four actors discussing their characters. The 1969 film has no credited music score.

An American intelligence officer signs an agreement with the Soviet Union stating that both countries will attack China, and the U.S. government hastily assembles a group of espionage agents to recover the unauthorized treaty, called THE KREMLIN LETTER. The team, under the leadership of "The Highwayman" (Dean Jagger) consists of "Rone" (Patrick O'Neal), a retired U.S. Navy officer;" B.A." (Barbara Parkins), a safe-cracker's daughter who replaces her ailing father on the mission; "Janis" (Nigel Green), a small-time pimp from a Mexican brothel; "The Warlock" (George Sanders) a transvestite found in a San Francisco gay bar; and "Ward" (Richard Boone), the Highwayman's top assistant. In New York, the Americans have a lesbian seduce the daughter of U.S.-based Russian spy "Potkin" (Ronald Radd) in order to blackmail him into turning over his Moscow apartment as a base for their operations. In Moscow, they bug the residence of Secret Police Chief "Kosnov" (Max von Sydow), who is married to "Erika" (Bibi Andersson), the widow of an enemy spy.

Producer Carter De Haven, III re-teamed with director John Huston on THE KREMLIN LETTER, after their recent collaboration on A WALK WITH LOVE AND DEATH (1969). De Haven was quoted as saying that the $6-$7 million project would not be filmed in Romania as initially planned because Romanian officials feared “Soviet displeasure” about the film’s content. Instead, Huston and De Haven planned to visit the U.S.S.R. for research only. It was later rumored that they had smuggled footage of the Bolshoi Ballet out of the country, to be used in the film.

Principal photography began on 17 February 1969 in Helsinki, Finland, which doubled as Moscow. The reproduction of Moscow Square, including a full-size Vladimir Lenin statue, angered the U.S.S.R., which responded by putting diplomatic pressure on the Finns and denying visas to people associated with the film. The following month, production moved to Rome, where some shooting took place at Dino De Laurentiis Studios. From Rome, cast and crew moved to New York City. Additional shooting was completed in Mexico City.

Orson Welles and Max von Sydow in THE KREMLIN LETTER

The film utilizes an innovative technique: scenes spoken in Russian begin in Russian and after a couple of interchanges segue into being spoken in English by the same actors, avoiding either usual extreme of subtitling or dubbing into English.

Although De Haven referred to THE KREMLIN LETTER as a “borderline X” film due to its nudity, drugs, and perversion, it ultimately received an [M] rating (for mature audiences) from the Motion Picture Association of America. Theatrical release took place in New York City on 1 February 1970. The picture went on to become a critical and commercial failure. It was referred to as a “bomb” in the 5 April 1970 Los Angels Times, and the 13 January 1971 Variety called it a “wrecker” for Fox, whose negative expenditure was said to have approached $6 million, while the movie’s domestic box-office gross was still shy of $1 million.

In his autobiography, John Huston said of the film: "I thought THE KREMLIN LETTER had all the makings of a success... The book by Noel Behn had been a best-seller. It had, moreover, all those qualities that were just coming into fashion in 1970 - violence, lurid sex, drugs. The cast was exceptionally strong... and the performances couldn't have been bettered. It was extremely well photographed [by Edward Scaife] - there was a virtuosity, a shine to it. Gladys Hill and I wrote the script, which I considered quite good, though in retrospect it was perhaps overcomplicated."

Robert Drasnin's score was released by Intrada in 2011.

In a barren insane asylum, murderer “Salem” (Max von Sydow) sneaks out at night to exact his revenge on those whom he deems responsible for his predicament. He is THE NIGHT VISITOR. This was the fourth film in which von Sydow worked with Liv Ullmann, who played Salem’s sister “Ester.”

Christopher Lee was the first choice to play Salem but was not available. Von Sydow and Ullmann were originally scheduled to appear in an MGM production of “Man's Fate” to be directed by Fred Zinnemann. When that production was canceled, the actors were available to sign for THE NIGHT VISITOR, which was shot on location in Denmark and Sweden by American producers Sidney Glazier and Mel Ferrer and helmed by Swedish director Laslo Benedek. A suite from Henry Mancini’s score was released on a Citadel LP and re-issued by them on CD in 1995. When Quartet re-issued the suite in 2015, they also included it in a broken up form of chronologically arranged tracks.

In the middle of the 19th century, a young couple, “Kristina and Karl Oskar Nilsson” (Liv Ullmann and Max von Sydow), live in Smaland - a small rural community in southern Sweden. They survive on a small plot of infertile land. Times are difficult: there is bad weather, the harvests are poor and hunger prevails. Hunger forces the couple's first-born child to secretly eat spoiled food that leads the child's death. The couple is joined by another family running away from religious persecution and a man running away from a troublesome wife. They are THE EMIGRANTS, who decide to leave Sweden and make a life for themselves in the United States.

Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann in THE EMIGRANTS

When filming a scene towards the end, where Karl Oskar walks off to find a better place for his settlement, director Jan Troell forgot to yell, "Cut." Max von Sydow just kept walking and walking, waiting for a "cut", and nobody realized until they took lunch. Erik Nordgren provided the 1971 film’s unreleased score.

A written prologue before the closing credits of THE EMIGRANTS stated that the Nilssons’ arrival in America was only the beginning of their immigration and that the film THE NEW LAND would continue their story as they learn to tame the land and prosper. Max Von Sydow and Ullmann reprised their roles for the 1972 sequel, which was filmed together with THE EMIGRANTS, between 18 February 1969 and 14 January 1970. While THE EMIGRANTS was set and shot almost entirely in Sweden, THE NEW LAND was shot mostly in the United States at locations including Stonefield Village State Historic Site near Cassville, Wisconsin, which was used to portray 1880s Minnesota farms and villages.

At several points in the film, onscreen titles announce important historic events relevant to the plot, including the 1862 Sioux Uprising and the hanging of Sioux warriors as punishment for the uprising. Both events are briefly dramatized in the film as well. The film closes with a still image of the Nilsson's family that includes several generations born in the United States. Jan Troell again directed this film, and this time Bengt Ernryd provided the score.

THE TOUCH is rare and unique among the films of famed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. Rare in that it is one of his least-seen films. Unique in that it was Bergman’s first film in English and starred one of the hottest actors of his time—Elliott Gould. Indeed, Gould was the first non-Scandinavian actor to play a starring role in a Bergman film. After his breakout role in 1969’s BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE, Gould starred in four films in 1970, including Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H. After completing filming on Jules Feiffer's LITTLE MURDERS, he started his work on Bergman’s film.

Gould’s co-stars were two long-time Bergman collaborators: Bibi Andersson and Max von Sydow. As usual, Bergman also produced and wrote the film, and his onscreen credit merely says "A film by Ingmar Bergman." Frequent Bergman cinematographer Sven Nykvist photographed the film. Jan Johansson provided the unreleased score.

Elliott Gould, Bibi Andersson, and Max von Sydow in THE TOUCH

THE TOUCH concerns “Karin” (Andersson), a seemingly happy Swedish housewife and mother who begins an adulterous affair with “David” (Gould) a foreign archaeologist after Karin’s husband “Andreas” (von Sydow), a physician, invites David to dinner after having become friendly with him while treating him as a patient. THE TOUCH was von Sydow’s last film with Ingmar Bergman.

Production on the film began on 15 September 1970 and continued through mid-December 1970. Location scenes were shot on the Swedish island of Gotland, in Stockholm, and in London. Interiors were filmed at Film-Teknik, in the Stockholm suburb of Solna. The movie was shot in two versions - one where English was spoken by those who were English-speaking and Swedish by those who were Swedes, and one where only English was spoken. The full English version was the one released in the U.S. Gould was dubbed into Swedish for the film's release outside of the U.S. The two-language version has been infrequently seen.

The picture was a co-production of ABC Pictures (New York) and Cinematograph A.B. (Stockholm). The Swedish title of the film was “Beroringen.” It premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on 26 June 1971. THE TOUCH was released in the U.S. by Cinerama Releasing Corp., opening in New York on 14 July 1971. The film’s Swedish premiere was on 30 August 1971.

In 1972’s EMBASSY, Max von Sydow plays “Gorenko,” a Russian defector who seeks refuge at an American embassy in Beirut, Lebanon headed by ambassador Ray Milland. Gorenko promises valuable information about the Russians, so the Americans agree to grant him asylum. Chuck Conners is “Kesten,” a Russian spy who works his way into the embassy to kill the defector. Diplomatic representative “Shannon” (Richard Roundtree) and head of security “Frank Dunninger” (Broderick Crawford) have to figure out how to get Gorenko out of the embassy and to the United States before he is killed.

Broderick Crawford, Max von Sydow, and Richard Roundtree in EMBASSY

Gordon Hessler directed the film. Mel Ferrer, who had produced THE NIGHT VISITOR, also produced EMBASSY. According to an August 1971 Daily Variety news item, Henry Mancini was to provide the film's score, but Jonathan Hodge wrote the unreleased score for the film.

The opening title card for 1973's THE EXORCIST reads "William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist." Blatty is also credited on a later title card, which reads: "Written for the screen and produced by William Peter Blatty based on his novel."

Although "The Exorcist" was a book of fiction, author Blatty based his international best seller on an actual exorcism of a fourteen-year-old boy that took place in Silver Spring, MD in 1949. According to various sources, Blatty learned of the exorcism while attending nearby Georgetown University, where the film adaptation would later be shot. The character of “Father Merrin” (played by Max von Sydow) was loosely based on Roman Catholic priest Teilhard de Chardin, a theologian who possibly performed an exorcism in Africa.

Stanley Kubrick wanted to direct the film, but only if he could produce it himself. As the studio was worried that he would go over budget and over schedule, it eventually settled on Mark Rydell, but Blatty insisted on William Friedkin instead. After a standoff with the studio, which initially refused to budge over Rydell, Blatty urged Warner Bros. executives to watch the just released THE FRENCH CONNECTION. This helped seal the deal, and Blatty eventually got his way.

Stacy Keach had originally been hired by Blatty to play the role of "Father Karras" until Friedkin spotted Jason Miller in a Broadway play. Despite Miller never having acted in a movie before, Keach's contract was bought out by Warner Bros. and Miller was cast in the role. The Prospect Avenue apartment where the story takes place was once inhabited by Blatty, while he was a student at Georgetown University.

Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow in THE EXORCIST

Max von Sydow was always William Friedkin's first choice to play Father Merrin. When von Sydow was given the book by William Peter Blatty to read. with a note that they wanted him to play a priest, he assumed he was up for the role of Father Karras. He was surprised to finally learn that they wanted him as the Exorcist, stating in a 2013 interview: "I still don't really know why".

Although playing an elderly priest, von Sydow was only 44 years old. In order to make him appear much older, make-up maestro Dick Smith applied generous amounts of stipple to von Sydow's forehead, eyes and neck. His facial skin was then manually stretched as liquid latex was applied. When the latex dried, his taut skin was then released causing the film of rubber to corrugate. This daily make-up procedure lasted three hours and was apparently the cause of much anguish for von Sydow.

The two priests - Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) and Father Karras (Jason Miller) - do not meet until 1 hour and 41 minutes into the film (in the director's cut). Father Merrin's arrival was filmed on Max von Sydow's first day of work. On the first day of filming the exorcism sequence, Linda Blair's delivery of her foul-mouthed dialogue so disturbed the gentlemanly von Sydow that he actually forgot his lines. Despite playing the title role, von Sydow had less screen time than the rest of the main cast.

Jason Miller and Max von Sydow in THE EXORCIST

The production encountered a number of problems. Both Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow were out for weeks, Jason Miller's young son was critically injured during filming, and shooting in Iraq was so hot that some crew members grew ill and had to be replaced. In his interview at the 2006 AMPAS screening, Friedkin said that the two-story house set burned to the ground, causing a three-week delay as well.

According to Blatty, Warner Bros. wanted to change the title of the film after taking a survey, which found none of the participants knew what an exorcist was. A studio executive advised Friedkin to make several cuts to the movie prior to the release, citing that the scenes were unnecessary. Friedkin complied, which offended Blatty, who thought these scenes formed the heart of the movie. Blatty even refused to speak to Friedkin for some time, but they eventually made amends. Many years later, when the immense popularity of the movie warranted a re-release, Friedkin agreed to re-evaluate some of the deleted scenes and put several of them back as a favor to Blatty, creating an extended "Version You've Never Seen". By his own admission, Friedkin tends to see this extended version as his favorite.

Although composer Lalo Schifrin was originally chosen to score the picture, Friedkin rejected his early efforts in favor of existing compositions. Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells,” from his debut album by the same title, became an international hit after the film’s release and has become synonymous with the film’s haunting mood. Warner Bros. Records released an LP of "Musical Excerpts" from the film, which they later reissued on CD. A CD that was included with some video releases of the film included a suite from Schifrin's unused score.

THE EXORCIST was the biggest box office hit of 1973, grossing nearly $196 million.

German Nobel-prize winner Hermann Hesse died in 1962, but his 1927 novel, Steppenwolf, became a cult classic during the anti-establishment youth movement of the late-1960s and sold over 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone. Producer Melvin Fishman picked up on the commercial potential of the novel and pursued the rights to STEPPENWOLF after his work as associate producer on director Satyajit Ray’s THE ALIEN ended abruptly in 1967 when the project was cancelled. Despite warnings that Hesse’s publisher and estate were notoriously reluctant to negotiate a deal, Fishman spent months working to gain their approval. In May 1969, Fishman, who partnered with producer Richard Herland to form a new company for the film, United Screen Arts, paid a $5,000 advance for a $165,000 option of the novel. It took Fishman five years to raise enough funds to complete payment of the option, and Herland eventually invested $300,000 of his personal wealth into the film in exchange for fifty percent of its profits.

While Fishman was unable to interest major studios in the project, he secured the promise of $35,000 from “an unidentified miniconglomerate” to hire writer-director Fred Haines, who had received an Academy Award nomination for co-scripting an adaptation of ULYSSES for Joseph Strick’s 1967 production. STEPPENWOLF marked Haines’s directorial debut of a feature film. Although the unnamed backer ultimately failed to procure funding, the film rights were finally sold to Fishman and Herland for $175,000 after Hesse’s publishing house, Suhrkamp Verlag, approved Haines’s screenplay. The company also negotiated for a collaborative role “in the shaping of the picture artistically.” Fishman then convinced entrepreneur Peter J. Sprague, who is credited as the film’s presenter and executive producer, to finance the picture for $2 million.

The film is set in the bourgeois circles of Europe after the Great War. All his life, “Harry Haller” (Max von Sydow), a solitary intellectual, has feared his dual nature of being human and being a beast. He's decided to die on his 50th birthday, which is soon. He's rescued from his solipsism by the mysterious “Hermine” (Dominique Sanda), who takes him dancing, introduces him to jazz and to the beautiful and whimsical “Maria” (Carla Romanelli), and guides him into the hallucinations of the Magic Theater, which seem to take him into Hell.

Filming took place in Basel, the location of the novel, but the surrealistic “Magic Theater” sequence, which included an innovative combination of video effects and animation, was created at Hamburg Studio in Germany. Hamburg Studio had agreed to trade goods and services for a stake in the film’s profits. The film’s effects marked “one of the most advanced examples of transferring television images to film” to the time. The film was shot in six languages and Variety complained of its “erratic dubbing.”

Sprague distributed the picture under the banner of his mid-century home furnishings chain store, Design Research. However, the company is not credited as a distributor in the film. Using a “four-wall arrangement” with exhibitors, which required distributors to pay theaters a rental fee, Sprague opened the film on ten screens in the Bay Area of Northern California in November 1974 after a 17 October 1974 premiere at the San Francisco Film Festival. Despite its generally negative reviews, STEPPENWOLF fared well among Hesse enthusiasts and intellectuals, and the Los Angeles Times reported that it grossed $10,000 weekly at a local theater.

A bookish CIA researcher, “Turner” (Robert Redford), finds all his co-workers dead, and must outwit those responsible until he figures out who he can really trust, in THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR. Max von Sydow co-stars in this thriller as “Joubert,” a mysterious man now hunting for Turner, who has the code-name “Condor.”

Max von Sydow in THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR

Sydney Pollack directed this 1975 film. Dave Grusin’s score was released on a Capitol LP, which was re-issued on CD by Legend in 1996 and by DRG in 2004. Film Score Monthly re-issued the CD in 2012 with bonus tracks.

In the futuristic year of 2012, two men capturing pigeons in the ruins of an old factory are shot and killed by “Carrot” (William Smith), a tall redheaded man, and his gang. Carrot takes the men’s pigeons, unaware he is watched by “Baron” (Max von Sydow), leader of a commune that has barricaded off a few New York City blocks. Baron also spies “Carson” (Yul Brynner), a muscular bald man, meditating on a stoop. Realizing Carson is fighter, perhaps THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR, Baron and his men try to recruit him, offering food and cigars.

Yul Brynner, Max von Sydow, and director Robert Clouse on the set of THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR

The film’s subway set spanned two sound stages at the Burbank Studios and was believed to be the largest indoor film set in the history of Hollywood filmmaking to that date. Robert Clouse (ENTER THE DRAGON) directed this 1975 film. Gil Mellé provided the unreleased score. The film grossed an unremarkable $2.4 million in the U.S.

At the beginning of World War II, ”Liviu” (Peter O’Toole), a Romanian count, and his wife “Julia” (Charlotte Rampling) come to live on an uninhabited tropical island, on THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE, where they hope to escape the war and their past. They bring with them all conceivable provisions and their servants, and live in luxury in a mansion-like tent on the beach. After a short time, a group of uninvited friends arrive. They decimate the supplies and, in the course of a frenzied shooting party, kill every living animal on the island before leaving, taking most of the servants with them. The only people left on the island are Liviu and his wife, their friend “Larsen” (Max von Sydow), and one servant, “Eusebio” (Jorge Luke).

Max von Sydow in THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE

This was a unique pairing of high class, multi-Oscar nominated actor Peter O'Toole and B-movie icon producer Roger Corman. It was the first Peter O’Toole film not to get a release in Britain. Arturo Ripstein directed this 1976 British-Mexican co-production, which went by various titles, including "The Far Side of Paradise" and "Foxtrot." Pete Rugolo provided the unreleased score.

VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED told the true story of the tragic 1939 voyage of the S.S. St. Louis, carrying hundreds of German Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, which seemingly no nation was willing to save from certain doom. Among the all-star cast--which included Oscar winners Faye Dunaway, Lee Grant, Wendy Hiller, José Ferrer and Orson Welles--was Max von Sydow, playing the ship’s Captain, “Gustav Schroeder.” The picture was Oskar Werner's final film before his death on October 23, 1984 at the age of 61. Jonathan Pryce received an “introducing” credit on the film.

Oskar Werner, Jonathan Pryce, and Max von Sydow in VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED

Stuart Rosenberg directed the 1976 release. Various contemporary sources placed the film’s budget at between $6 and $7 million, but the film grossed only $5.3 million in the U.S. VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED received three Academy Award Nominations: Actress in a Supporting role (Lee Grant); Writing (Screenplay--based on material from another medium); and Music (Original Score, Lalo Schifrin). Schifrin’s score was released on an Entr'acte LP. Label X re-issued it on CD, spread over two releases—a 1987 disc that also included Schifrin’s THE FOUR MUSKETEERS and THE EAGLE HAS LANDED, and a 1993 disc that held the remaining tracks along with two Schifrin classical compositions.

The one-sheet poster for the film may hold the record for the most “faces in little boxes” of any movie poster, with twenty.

MARCH OR DIE was set during the 1920s, when French Foreign Legion “Major William Foster's” (Gene Hackman's) unit is protecting an archaeological dig headed by Louvre curator “Francois Marneau” (Max von Sydow). The discovery of an Arab sacred burial site prompts the angry Arab tribes to attack Foster's small garrison.

This film was being made in Spain by director Dick Richards at the same time Marty Feldman was making the comedy THE LAST REMAKE OF BEAU GESTE nearby. The productions for both movies fought over the supply of horses, camels, costumes, and places of shooting. Some extras appeared in the wrong movie on one occasion. Maurice Jarre’s scoe for MARCH OR DIE has not had a release.

GRAN BOLLITO stars Shelley Winters as a mother so insanely over-protective of her grown son that she decides to make a deal with death by offering alternate victims, plucked from among her fellow tenants in a 1938 Italian apartment building. Among these are several men playing women, including “Lisa Carpi” (Max Von Sydow). Laura Antonelli and Rita Tushingham also star.

Max von Sydow and Shelley Winters in GRAN BOLLITO

Mauro Bolognini directed the 1977 film. Enzo Jannacci’s score has been released only as an isolated score track on the 2016 Twilight Time Blu-ray of the film.

In 1978's BRASS TARGET, when Allied forces discover $250 million of Germany’s Reichsbank gold in 1945, General George S. Patton, Jr. (George Kennedy), orders the gold transported by train to a bank in Frankfurt, Germany. Robert Vaughn plays "Colonel Donald Rogers," who is responsible for the transfer. In Switzerland, “Colonel McCauley” (Patrick McGoohan) hires an assassin who poses as “Peter Shelley” (Max von Sydow) and insists that Patton’s murder look like an accident.

John Hough (ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN) directed this wartime thriller. Varese Sarabande finally got around to issuing a CD of its LP of the Laurence Rosenthal score in 2014.

A young Samoan chief, “Matangi” (Dayton Ka'ne), and an American painter, “Charlotte Bruckner” (Mia Farrow), embark upon a desperate love affair, against the will of her father, “Captain Bruckner” (Jason Robards). Amid this man-made tension comes a HURRICANE so devastating, the lives of the lovers and the entire island are imperiled. Max von Sydow is “Dr. Danielson”, a physician, who has been restoring an 1887 house on the island of Samoa.

This film was screenwriter Lorenzo Semple's second film for producer Dino De Laurentiis. The screenplay was based upon the 1936 novel by James Norman Hall and Charles Nordhoff ("Mutiny On the Bounty"). Semple was also an Executive Producer on the film.

The 1979 film had a troubled production. Roman Polanski was set to direct the film until he was charged with statutory rape. After he fled the country, director John Huston was approached about the job, but due to health concerns and the remote location, he turned down the project. Peter Bogdanovich stated that he declined a one million dollar offer to direct. Swedish director Jan Troell was ultimately hired. Semple felt that Troell, the director of THE EMIGRANTS (1971) and THE NEW LAND (1972) with von Sydow, was wrong for the film.

The entire picture was shot on Bora Bora, which was an island of approximately 2000 inhabitants at the time. De Laurentiis undertook extensive preparations to convert the remote location, with no electricity, into a filming site and a temporary home for cast and crew. To import equipment, props and provisions, the producer bought a freighter that ferried across the Pacific between Los Angeles and French Polynesia. Two hotels existed on Bora Bora, but they were deemed too costly or impractical for housing and feeding the 150-member film company. Therefore, De Laurentiis built a hotel with sixty-six bungalows named the “Marara,” investing approximately $4.2 million. After filming completed, the accommodations were transformed into a tourist resort.

Preliminary crew arrived on the island in October 1977 to construct sets, with a budget calculated at over $7.5 million. A $1.5 million, 160-foot tank was also built on site to create the hurricane special effects. A real hurricane hit the island in February 1978 destroying bungalows at the hotel and several sets while leaving the special effects preparations months behind schedule. De Laurentiis arranged for the French Navy to assist with last minute construction, and principal photography was able to begin 15 May 1978.

Nino Rota’s score was released on an Elektra LP. It was re-issued on CD by Legend in 1995 and Varese Sarabande in 2018.

A football player (Sam J. Jones) and his friends travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow) to save Earth in 1980’s FLASH GORDON. This was Lorenzo Semple's third film for Dino De Laurentiis. The film was a comic book derivative, done in a deliberately over-the-top style reminiscent of the "Batman" sensibility. As with his Batman, serious comic-book devotees assailed Semple for the allegedly disrespectful approach he took to the printed originals.

Max von Sydow shaved his head for the role of Ming the Merciless since Ming is bald in the comic strip. Sydow’s Ming costume weighed over 70 pounds. He could only stand in it for a few minutes at a time.

Most reviews were poor. The 3 December 1980 Variety review cited weak performances, with the exception of Max von Sydow, and asserted that an uncredited actor voiced Jones’ part. A May 1981 Twilight Zone Magazine review complained about the lack of character development and wondered why an Asian was not cast as “Ming the Merciless.”

The film was primarily scored with rock music from the band Queen, augmented by some orchestral music from Howard Blake. Only the Queen music appeared on the Elektra soundtrack LP, which was first re-issued on CD by Hollywood Records in 1991. There have been numerous subsequent re-issues.

In a World War II German Prisoner of War (POW) camp, an allied officer is killed while attempting to escape. German “Major Karl Von Steiner” (Max von Sydow) accompanies the Red Cross to the camp to investigate the incident. He observes several prisoners, including American POW, “Captain Robert Hatch” (Sylvester Stallone), playing soccer. Von Steiner played for the German team prior to the war and recognizes their coach, “Captain John Colby” (Michael Caine), as a former English soccer player. Colby reveals the POWs have set up a league, and insists his team would “demolish” the Germans in a game. Von Steiner challenges Colby’s team to a game with the team from a nearby German army base. As the Allied POWs prepare for VICTORY, in a game to be played in Nazi-occupied Paris, the French Resistance and British officers are making plans for the team's escape.

This movie featured eighteen international professional soccer players of the time appearing in both acting and sports action stunt roles. Soccer stars who have key roles in this movie included Brazilian Pelé as Trinidadian “Corporal Luis Fernandez” and England's Bobby Moore as the Englishman “Terry Brady.”

Michael Caine and Max von Sydow in VICTORY

Director John Huston and producer Freddie Fields considered locations in Ireland, Austria, Germany, England, and Canada. But the film was shot entirely on location in Hungary. Fields stated that shooting the film in the communist country cost “less than half the estimated budgets given by four other countries.” He noted that budget estimates for filming in the United States or Sweden ranged from $30 million to $35 million. The cost of filming in Hungary was $12 million. Fields also chose Budapest, Hungary, because it was reportedly designed as “Paris East,” and continued to maintain a World War II era look, unlike Paris.

Five interior sets were built at Mafilm Studios, the production base of Hungarian Film Company. A three-acre prison set was constructed on the grounds of the Allag Riding Stables, located near Budapest, and Hungary’s MTK Stadium was chosen to substitute for Colombes Stadium in Paris. Other locations included the Budapest central train station, and a country train station in the village of Fot, Hungary.

Bill Conti’s score was released on a Prometheus CD in 2005.

In prehistoric times, a Cimmerian warrior, CONAN THE BARBARIAN (Arnold Schwarzenegger), along with fellow adventurers “Valeria” (Sandahl Bergman) and “Subotai” (Gerry Lopez), attempt to bring down evil warlord “Thulsa Doom” (James Earl Jones), who has enslaved the daughter (Valerie Quennessen) of “King Osric” (Max von Sydow).

James Earl Jones was a last-minute addition to the cast because of his commitments on Broadway. He and Arnold Schwarzenegger became friends on-set; Schwarzenegger helped Jones stay in shape, and Jones coached Schwarzenegger on acting; so did Max von Sydow. Schwarzenegger called von Sydow the first "incredible dramatic actor" he ever worked with. He declared von Sydow's performance "staggering." Von Sydow did the movie for his son, who was a longtime Conan fan.

John Milius directed and co-wrote the 1982 film. Basil Poledouris’ score was released on an MCA LP, which was first re-issued on CD by Varese Sarabande in 1992. Intrada released the complete score in 2012, while Prometheus released a re-recording by Nic Raine and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra in 2010.

STRANGE BREW marked the motion picture debuts of Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas as actors, writers, and directors. In the film, Canada's most famous hosers, “Bob and Doug McKenzie” (Moranis and Thomas), get jobs at the Elsinore Brewery, only to learn that something is rotten with the state of it. Max von Sydow plays Brewmeister “B. M. Smith.”

Freddie Fields, President of Motion Picture Production for MGM, gave Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas the opportunity to direct their first feature. The role of “Brewmeister Smith” was written with Max von Sydow in mind. But Moranis and Thomas thought actually enlisting him would be impossible. As it turned out, Fields had just produced VICTORY (1981), which starred von Sydow. Fields telephoned the actor in Stockholm, Sweden, and instructed Moranis and Thomas to “tell him the story.” After receiving the script, von Sydow ran it by his son, who was a huge SCTV fan and who encouraged his father to take the role.

Charles Fox’s score appeared on the Mercury Records soundtrack LP as backing for various dialogue tracks. The LP has not been re-issued on CD.

Max von Sydow played “Ernst Stavro Blofeld," head of the international crime syndicate SPECTRE in the James Bond film NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN. Sean Connery was given a lot of creative input into this movie, which was one of the reasons he decided to do it. One area he wanted to focus on was casting, as he felt the EON Productions Bond movies were lacking in prominent acting talent. In addition to Max von Sydow, Connery approved the casting of Klaus Maria Brandauer (“Maximilian Largo”), Edward Fox (“M”), Kim Basinger (“Domino”), Barbara Carrera (“Fatima”), and Alec McCowen (“Q”).

Unfortunately, most of Max von Sydow's scenes were deleted from the theatrical cut of the film, while Marsha A. Hunt and Brenda Cowling had their roles eliminated entirely. The 1983 film was directed by Irvin Kershner. Michel Legrand's score was released on a Seven Seas LP, which was reissued on CD by Silva America in 1993.

At Thornhill College in California, psychiatrist “Paul Novotny” (Max von Sydow), a sleep researcher; his colleague, “Dr. Jane DeVries” (Kate Capshaw); and a government agent named “Bob Blair” (Christopher Plummer) discuss the case of “Alex Gardner” (Dennis Quaid), a young psychic who disappeared nine years earlier. In DREAMSCAPE, Alex eventually finds himself recruited by a government agency experimenting with the use of the dream-sharing technology and is given the task of planting an idea into the mind of the U.S. president (Eddie Albert).

Christopher Plummer and Max von Sydow in DREAMSCAPE

Joseph Ruben directed the 1984 film. Originally, the producers wanted Maurice Jarre to write the music for the film orchestrally, but Jarre insisted on scoring the film electronically because he felt that it was the right approach for the material and also set the tone of the film. Jarre’s score was released on the Sonic Atmospheres label, and was re-issued by Intrada in 2013.

In 1984’s DUNE, a complicated political situation between a number of planets is threatened when “Emperor Shaddam IV” (José Ferrer) conspires with “Baron Vladimir Harkonnen” (Kenneth McMillan) to destroy the clan of “Duke Leto Atreides” (Jürgen Prochnow) while taking over the mining of the spice Melange on the isolated planet of Arrakis. Leto's son “Paul” (Kyle MacLachlan) is revealed to be a prophesized super-being, who will restore order to the galaxy. Paul receives assistance from “Doctor Kynes” (Max von Sydow), who guides Paul’s spacecraft to a spice mine. It took two weeks to film von Sydow's role.

Max von Sydow, Patrick Stewart, Kyle MacLachlan, and Jürgen Prochnow in DUNE

David Lynch directed and wrote the film, which was an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. The film’s score was by the band Toto, with additional music by Brian Eno and Marty Paich. Polydor released the score. Pendulum (PEG) released an expanded version in 1997.

In 1978, after five seasons, the police show “Kojak” finished its run. Seven years later, “Theo Kojak” (Telly Savalas) was back on television reprising his character in THE BELARUS FILE, which found the lollipop-loving Greek detective trying to solve a series of murders related to concentration camps in Nazi-occupied Russia, almost half a century earlier. Susan Pleshette appeared as Kojak's unofficial assistant and possible love interest, and guest star Max von Sydow played “Peter Barak,” an elderly concentration camp survivor.

Robert Markowitz directed the film, which aired on CBS on 16 February 1985. Joseph Conlan and Barry De Vorzon provided the unreleased score. Although six more Kojak telefilms were to follow, THE BELARUS FILE marked the final appearances of series regulars Dan Frazer as “Frank McNeil,” George Savalas as “Stavros,” Mark Russell as “Saperstein,” and Vince Conti as “Rizzo.”

Woody Allen’s HANNAH AND HER SISTERS takes place over three Thanksgivings, during which “Hannah” (Mia Farrow) sees her husband “Elliot” (Michael Caine) fall in love with her sister “Lee” (Barbara Hershey), while her hypochondriac ex-husband “Mickey” (Allen) rekindles his relationship with her sister “Holly” (Dianne Wiest). Max von Sydow appears as “Frederick,” a reclusive, curmudgeonly painter who is Lee’s intellectual tutor.

Barbara Hershey, Max von Sydow, Daniel Stern, and Michael Caine in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS

The structure of this movie, centering around holiday gatherings, was based on FANNY AND ALEXANDER (1982) by Ingmar Bergman. Woody Allen had long been an admirer of Bergman's movies. This may also explain the inclusion of Max von Sydow, a Bergman regular, in the cast. In fact, von Sydow had wanted to be in FANNY AND ALEXANDER, but demands, made on his behalf by his agent, prevented his involvement.

After Max von Sydow and Barbara Hershey finished filming their characters' break-up scene, the crew gave them a standing ovation. Allen wrote and directed this 1986 comedy-drama, which in one scene had “Frederick” (von Sydow) complaining bitterly, while watching television, that if Jesus were to come back and see what religion had become, "he'd never stop throwing up.” The film had a tracked song score.

PELLE THE CONQUEROR is set at the end of the 19th century, when a boat filled with Swedish emigrants comes to the Danish island of Bornholm. Among them are “Lassefar” (Max von Sydow) and his son “Pelle” (Pelle Hvenegaard), who move to Denmark to find work. They find employment at a large farm, but are treated as the lowest form of life. Pelle starts to speak Danish but is still harassed as a foreigner. But neither of them wants to give up their dream of finding a better life than the one they left in Sweden.

Max von Sydow and Pelle Hvenegaard in PELLE THE CONQUEROR

Billie August directed the 1987 film, which was based on the novel of the same name, written by Martin Andersen Nexø. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and Max von Sydow was nominated as Best Actor. He lost to Dustin Hoffman for RAIN MAN. Thirteen minutes of Stefan Nilsson’s score were released by Milan.

In 1969 New York City, "Dr. Malcolm Sayer" (Robin Williams) arrives at Bainbridge Hospital in the Bronx. Although he has come to apply for a research position, Dr. Sayer is informed by the hospital head, "Dr. Kaufman" (John Heard), that Bainbridge is a chronic care hospital with no research department. Despite his lack of clinical experience, Sayer is hired to treat patients. Later, experimenting with a drug called L-Dopa, Sayer finds that it can cause remarkable AWAKENINGS in some brain-damaged patients, in particular a post-encephalitic patient named "Leonard Lowe" (Robert De Niro). Sayer visits “Dr. Peter Ingham” (Max von Sydow), who treated encephalitic patients, most of whom died during the acute stage of the disease. He says the survivors showed signs of severe brain damage within five to fifteen years of recovery. Although Ingham believes Sayer’s patients have lost their “higher faculties” and are unaware of their surroundings, Sayer sets out to disprove him.

Director Penny Marshall at first wanted Bill Murray to play Leonard Lowe. Murray was interested in the project, but Marshall ultimately decided against it because she didn't want audiences expecting a comedy. Marshall then recruited friend Robert De Niro to star as Lowe. Randy Newman's score for the 1990 film was released by Reprise.

In A KISS BEFORE DYING, “Jonathan Corliss” (Matt Dillon) murders his pregnant secret girlfriend, then becomes involved with her twin sister “Ellen Carlsson” (Sean Young). Max von Sydow plays Ellen’s father, “Thor.” James Dearden directed and wrote the 1991 thriller, based upon Ira Levin’s 1953 novel of the same name. Howard Shore’s score has not had a release.

Sean Young and Max von Sydow in A KISS BEFORE DYING

In director Lars von Trier’s EUROPA, “Leopold Tressler” (Jean-Marc Barr) is an American sent to Frankfurt in October of 1945 to work alongside his uncle (Ernst-Hugo Järegard) for the Zentropa Train Company. Leopold is to be a sleeping-car conductor. His very occupation is that of ferrying passengers from one place to the next while they sleep. So, too, could all of EUROPA be a dream. We enter the movie under cover of night, a single light illuminating the train tracks that our eyes scan, as the voice of narrator Max von Sydow plants the hypnotic suggestion that will transport us to Germany alongside Leopold.

Perhaps because a year earlier, another European production called EUROPA, EUROPA had been released in the U.S., when Miramax released von Trier’s film in America in 1992, they retitled it ZENTROPA. Joachim Holbek’s score was released by Virgin Records in France.

In the sleepy seaside town of Castle Rock, Maine, a mysterious newcomer from Akron, Ohio, opens an antique shop called NEEDFUL THINGS, which piques the interest of local residents. The owner is the elderly but sophisticated “Leland Gaunt” (Max von Sydow). He doesn't ask his customers for money. He asks them to play a prank on someone else in town. The catch is that these pranks are specifically targeted towards the petty, jealous, and paranoid citizens so that they will automatically assume that a particular person had perpetrated the trick. Soon, the townspeople are at each other's throats (literally) and “Sheriff Alan Pangborn” (Ed Harris) must not only attempt to keep the peace, but also figure out what is causing the unrest. Can he keep things under control while also watching over his fiancée, “Polly” (Bonnie Bedelia)?

Bonnie Bedelia, Max von Sydow, and Ed Harris in NEEDFUL THINGS

In 1991, Castle Rock Entertainment paid a “record-setting” $1.75 million for film rights to Stephen King’s yet unpublished novel, Needful Things. Peter Yates was attached to direct, with filming expected to start in Maine that fall. However, Yates did not stay with the project, and Fraser C. Heston was hired as his replacement. Although he had never before directed a feature film, he had extensive experience directing, writing, and producing films for cable television.

With the majority of pre-production already completed, Heston was left to cast the picture, and he immediately thought of actor Max von Sydow, who worked with his father, Charlton Heston, in THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (1965). To convince von Sydow, Heston flew to Sweden to meet the actor and discuss his plan for the material. Once Sydow agreed to star, Heston held a similar meeting with actor Ed Harris in New York City.

Patrick Doyle’s score for the 1993 film was released by Varese Sarabande.

The made-for-cable film CITIZEN X opens in early 1982, when “Lt. Viktor Burakov” (Stephan Rea) begins tracking the victims of Russia’s most prolific serial killer, one “Andrei Chikatilo” (Jeffrey DeMunn). Supervising Lt. Burakov is “Col. Mikhail Festiov” (Donald Sutherland), a career military politician who has long ago stopped caring about anything. Supervising Festiov is the most decadent Politburo ever captured on film. Chief among them is “Bondarchuk” (Joss Ackland). When given the initial report that there is a serial killer currently haunting the children of Russia, Bondarchuk snaps, “The Soviet Union doesn’t have serial killers! It is a decadent, Western phenomenon.” Max von Sydow plays “Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky,” a hesitant, frightened but determined psychiatrist.

Chris Gerolmo directed and co-wrote this 1995 film, which premiered on HBO on 25 February 1995. Randy Edelman’s score was released by Varese Sarabande.

In a dystopian future, JUDGE DREDD, a police officer with instant field judiciary powers, assists “Judge Hershey” (Diane Lane) in ending a chaotic block war. He apprehends computer hacker “Herman Ferguson” (Rob Schneider) and sentences him to five years imprisonment for tampering with a food dispensing robot. A psychopathic murderer and former judge named “Rico” (Armand Assante) escapes from prison and seeks vengeance on Dredd since he's the one who brought down the former judge and put him in prison. Rico frames his old friend for the brutal murder of a news reporter (Mitchell Ryan) who always criticized Dredd's extreme methods of law enforcement. Dredd is found guilty of the crime based on DNA evidence (the bullets in every Judge's "Lawgiver" gun are encoded with their DNA) and gets sentenced to life in prison. His mentor, “Chief Judge Fargo” (Max von Sydow), prevents Dredd from being executed by retiring and making that his last request (all Chief Judges get a final request before retiring). Now Dredd must act to clear his name.

Danny Cannon directed this 1995 science fiction/action film. Alan Silvestri’s score shared space on the Epic Records soundtrack CD with a number of songs. Silvestri’s complete score was released by Intrada in 2015.

“Chris Nielsen” (Robin Williams) dies in an accident, and enters Heaven. But when he discovers that his beloved wife “Annie” (Annabella Sciorra) has killed herself out of grief over the loss, he embarks on an afterlife adventure to reunite with her. With the aid of “The Tracker” (Max von Sydow), he descends into the depths of Hell to search for his wife, in WHAT DREAMS MAY COME.

Robin Williams and Max von Sydow in WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

Robin Williams and Max von Sydow had previously appeared together in AWAKENINGS (1990). Vincent Ward directed this 1998 fantasy. Ennio Morricone’s score for the film was rejected and replaced with one by Michael Kamen. Kamen’s score was released on the Beyond label in the U.S. and on Decca/London elsewhere.

In SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS, “Ishmael Chambers” (Ethan Hawke) publishes the local paper. Flashbacks reveal that he once had a relationship with “Hatsue Miyamoto” (Youki Kudoh), the wife of “Kazuo Miyamoto” (Rick Yune), who is on trial for the murder of Carl Heine, a local fisherman. Hatsue ended their relationship once World War II began, but Ishmael still pines for her. Ishmael is also dealing with living in the shadow of his father “Arthur” (Sam Shepherd). Arthur ran the newspaper before Ishmael, and presented a tolerant view of the Japanese community. In the present trial, prosecutor “Alvin Hooks” (James Rebhorn) squares off against defense attorney “Nels Gundmusson” (Max Von Sydow). Gundmusson seems to be an elderly, confused attorney, but mentally he is extremely sharp.

Director Scott Hicks and Max von Sydow on the set of SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS

Max von Sydow said of his role "I loved the script very much. It's a wonderfully intelligent, rich story with many levels which are cleverly interwoven. It deals with real people that you care about, whom it's possible to understand. Also, Nels is a man of common sense and that's very appealing."

Scott Hicks directed this 1999 drama. James Newton Howard’s score was released by Decca.

In Dario Argento’s SLEEPLESS, police in Turin investigate two murders that appear to have the hallmarks of a serial killer from the 1980s known as The Dwarf Murderer. However, the Dwarf Murderer, “Vincenzo de Fabritiis,” is dead, his body having been pulled out of a river back in 1983. The police ask the advice of “Ulisse Moretti” (Max von Sydow), the now retired police inspector who investigated at the time. Also brought back in is “Giacomo Gallo” (Stefano Dionisi), the now adult child who witnessed his mother being murdered, although he did not see the killer’s face. Moretti and Giacomo combine forces, retracing old ground to see if the dwarf is still alive or if the killings were blamed on the wrong person.

Max von Sydow insisted that the parrot in the 2001 film be called “Marcello,” after Marcello Mastroianni whom he got to know after making several films in Italy.

After a 22-year hiatus, in 2000, the progressive rock group Goblin, led by Claudio Simonetti, reformed to score SLEEPLESS. The soundtrack was a great success and showed that the group could still make great music, much to their fans' delight. The group were later scheduled to perform in Tarrytown, New York for the infamous Cult-Con, but failed to appear. Simonetti did however appear at the show and informed fans that old wounds resurfaced during their brief reunion. With his horror theme tribute band Daemonia (formed by Titta Tani, Bruno Previtali, Federico Amorosi, and Simonetti himself), he performed a nine-song set from the films of Dario Argento. Goblin later officially disbanded. The SLEEPLESS score was released by Cinevox.

DRUIDS is a biopic about the real-life person Vercingetorix, the famous leader of Gaul who fought Julius Caesar. Christopher Lambert plays the eponymous hero, Klaus Maria Brandauer co-stars as Caesar, and Max von Sydow plays “Guttart,” a fictional Druid. The film begins with Lambert as a young boy seeing his father murdered as clansmen look to consolidate power. He returns later to take the throne of power that was rightfully his.

Jacques Dorfmann directed and co-wrote the 2001 film, which was shot in both in English and French. Pierre Charvet’s score was released by Mercury Records in France. The film opened theatrically overseas, but went directly to video in the U.S.

MINORITY REPORT takes place in a future where a special police unit is able to arrest murderers before they commit their crimes. But without warning, the unit’s “Chief John Anderton” (Tom Cruise) is himself accused of a future murder. Max von Sydow plays Anderton’s superior, “Director Lamar Burgess.” Steven Spielberg directed this 2002 futuristic thriller. John Williams’s score was released by Dreamworks. La-La Land issued an expanded edition in 2019.

In RING OF THE NIBELUNGS, “Siegfried” (Benno Fürmann), the orphaned son of a king, is raised by a blacksmith, “Eyvind” (Max von Sydow), and taught to make great swords. He meets and defeats “Brunhild,” the queen of Iceland (Kristanna Løken), who proclaims her love for him. While she waits for him, he journeys to Burgund, where he slays a dragon, takes its cursed gold, befriends “King Gunther” (Samuel West), and swallows a magic potion that causes him to fall in love with “Princess Kriemhild” (Alicia Witt). With Gunther seeking Brunhild for his wife, and the king’s half-dwarf advisor, “Hagen” (Julian Sands), secretly obsessed with the gold, tragedy seems inevitable.

Uli Edel directed this 2004 three-hour made-for-television European co-production. Ilan Eshkeri provided the unreleased score. In some countries, the film played in its original length on television, in others it played theatrically (sometimes broken into two parts), in Britain it played in an edited 132-minute cut, and in the U.S. that shortened version went straight to DVD.

The film also went under different titles. It was THE SWORD OF XANTEN in Britain, THE CURSE OF THE RING in South Africa, and DARK KINGDOM: THE DRAGON KING on the U.S. DVD.

In 2007’s RUSH HOUR 3, police “Inspector Lee” (Jackie Chan) and “Detective Carter” (Chris Tucker) have to go to Paris to track down the elusive, almost mythical chief of the Chinese Triad mafia called the Shai-Shen, after Chinese ambassador “Han” (Tzi Ma) was gunned down at the World Criminal Court on the verge of releasing the identity of Shai-Shen. Max von Sydow plays World Criminal Court Director “Varden Reynard.”

Having worked with director Brett Ratner on X-MEN: THE LAST STAND (2006), Sir Ian McKellen was asked to appear in this movie in the role of Reynard. But the part ultimately went to von Sydow. Lalo Schifrin’s score was released by Varese Sarabande.

“The Tudors” was a cable television series about the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Max von Sydow had a four-episode arc during the show’s third season, playing the real-life Cardinal Otto Truchsess von Waldburg. Von Waldburg was Prince-Bishop of Augsburg, Germany from 1543 until his death in Rome in 1573.

“The Tudors” ran for four seasons, from 2007 to 2010. Varese Sarabande released a CD of Trevor Morris’ music for each one of the four seasons.

In 1954, U.S. Marshal “Teddy Daniels” (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new partner “Chuck Aule” (Mark Ruffalo) make the stomach-churning journey by water to Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, with a hurricane closing in on Boston Harbor. “Dr. Cawley” (Sir Ben Kingsley), who oversees the facility, reveals that one of the patients (Emily Mortimer) has escaped and no one has any idea how she could have disappeared without a trace. Examining the cell, Teddy discovers a scrap of paper bearing the scribbled words: “THE LAW OF 4. WHO IS 67?”; It’s the first of many mysteries. As the cops interview the staff, including the threatening “Dr. Naehring” (Max von Sydow), Teddy and Chuck begin to sense that something is terribly awry on SHUTTER ISLAND. As paranoia grips the men, Teddy becomes convinced that Cawley and his security team are secretly holding an additional patient hostage somewhere within the hospital’s crumbling walls.

Mark Ruffalo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Max von Sydow, and Ben Kingsley in SHUTTER ISLAND

Martin Scorsese directed this 2010 mystery. Rhino Records released a 2-CD set of the classical and popular music used for the film’s score.

In twelfth-century England, “Robin Longstride” (Russell Crowe) and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. “Marion Loxley” (Cate Blanchett) soon is involved with the man who becomes known as ROBIN HOOD. Max von Sydow plays Marion’s blind father, “Sir Walter Loxley.

Russell Crowe and Max von Sydow in ROBIN HOOD

Ridley Scott directed this 2010 film. Marc Streitenfeld’s score was released by Varese Sarabande.

In STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, Max von Sydow plays legendary traveler and explorer, “Lor San Tekka.” He is a longtime ally of the New Republic and the Resistance. After the Battle of Endor, San Tekka helped Luke Skywalker recover secret Jedi lore that the Empire had tried to erase, and “Leia Organa” (Carrie Fisher) hopes the old scout can now help find her brother.

Max von Sydow in STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Max von Sydow was the only member of the new cast to have been acting when the original STAR WARS came out in 1977, let alone to have been born. Gary Oldman also auditioned for the role of Lor San Tekka. J.J. Abrams directed the 2015 film. John Williams’ score was released by Walt Disney Records.

In the sixth season (2016) of the HBO series “Game of Thrones”, Max von Sydow had a three-episode arc as "The Three-Eyed Raven", better known in George R.R. Martin’s books as "Lord Bloodraven.” Most of the character’s backstory regarding the Targaryens is never mentioned in the series, and it is suggested that the Three-Eyed Raven had been "sitting in a cave looking through time" for "thousands of years".

Isaac Hempstead Wright and Max von Sydow in “Game of Thrones”

Ramin Djawadi’s music from Season 6 of the series was released by Watertower Music in the U.S. and Sony Classical in the EU.

In a career that spanned seven decades, Max von Sydow become one of Sweden's most admired and professional actors and is the only male Swedish actor to receive an Oscar nomination. Von Sydow was nominated twice: for Best Actor in PELLE THE CONQUEROR (1987) and for Best Supporting Actor in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE (2011).

Sydow received two Emmy nominations: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for RED KING, WHITE KNIGHT (1989) and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for “Game of Thrones” (2016).

His two Golden Globe nominations were for Best Actor - Drama in HAWAII (1966) and Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture in THE EXORCIST.

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association gave Max von Sydow its Career Achievement Award in 2018, and the Stockholm Film Festival gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

Sydow once said: “Many persons believe that an actor must identify himself with his role. I do not do that, although I do become involved with my parts while I play them. But I find it a virtue to do things which are not of myself. This is the Swedish concept of an actor.”

“Acting is such a weird profession. It's such a futile thing. Even when it's there on film, there's nothing really to it. It is not like making a piece of furniture or writing a book.”

Intangible though they may be, Max von Sydow’s performances have kept audiences in their seats for generations, and will continue to do so long into the future.

with Birgitta Valberg in THE VIRGIN SPRING

B.D.

The Cinema Cafe

End Credits #95: Cinema's 2020 Lost Treasures Max von Sydow