Ingrid Bergman

Explore the life and career of Ingrid Bergman (1915–1982), the Swedish actress whose radiance, talent, and bold choices made her a screen legend. Learn about her biography, key films, personal struggles, famous quotes, and lessons from her extraordinary journey.

Introduction

Ingrid Bergman (August 29, 1915 – August 29, 1982) is one of the most iconic actresses of classic cinema, celebrated for her natural beauty, emotional depth, and versatility.

Bergman’s life was as dramatic off-screen as on — she battled public scandal, illness, exile, and personal upheaval, yet she maintained a timeless presence on film. Her story offers a rich tapestry of artistic ambition, moral complexity, and resilience.

Early Life & Background

• Ingrid Bergman was born on 29 August 1915 in Stockholm, Sweden, to Justus Samuel Bergman (Swedish) and Frieda “Friedel” Henriette Auguste Louise Adler (German) .

• She was named after Princess Ingrid of Sweden.

• Tragically, her mother died when Ingrid was just two years old, and she was raised mainly by her father.

• As a child, she spent summers in Germany and became fluent in German, which later enhanced her multilingual acting capability.

• Her father had dreams of her being an opera singer, so Ingrid studied voice lessons for three years in her youth.

• Her schooling was at Palmgrenska Samskolan in Stockholm.

• Interestingly, she was an only surviving child — two older siblings had died in infancy before her birth.

Entry into Acting & Swedish Career

• Her first film exposure was as an extra in the 1932 film Landskamp.

• Her first speaking role was in Munkbrogreven (1935).

• Early on she was signed under director Gustaf Molander and featured in Swedish productions such as Ocean Breakers and Swedenhielms.

• She also signed a three-picture contract with UFA (a German studio), but made only one film before returning to Sweden.

These years honed her craft and exposed her to different film cultures, preparing her for international stardom.

Hollywood & International Stardom

Hollywood Breakthrough

• Ingrid’s Hollywood debut came via a remake of her Swedish film Intermezzo (1939), under producer David O. Selznick.

• She arrived in Los Angeles in May 1939 and, despite challenges (not yet fluent in English), she impressed critics with her freshness, sincerity, and emotional authenticity.

• She made her stage debut in 1940 in Liliom opposite Burgess Meredith.

Signature Films & Awards

• Casablanca (1942): She starred opposite Humphrey Bogart as Ilsa Lund, one of her most enduring roles.

• Gaslight (1944): Her performance won her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

• The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945): A hit film where she played a nun, adding to her international appeal.

• Notorious (1946): Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this is often ranked among her most nuanced works, exploring espionage, suspense, and emotional conflict.

• After a period in Europe, she made a Hollywood return with Anastasia (1956), winning her second Oscar.

• Later, she earned a Supporting Actress Oscar for Murder on the Orient Express (1974).

• One of her final and acclaimed roles was in Autumn Sonata (1978), directed by Ingmar Bergman (no relation).

Italian Films & the Scandal

• In the early 1950s, Ingrid worked with director Roberto Rossellini in films such as Stromboli and Europe ’51.

• During Stromboli, she and Rossellini began an affair; she became pregnant, causing a major scandal in the U.S. public and media, even sparking condemnation by U.S. senators.

• For many years, she was effectively blacklisted in Hollywood and chose to live and work primarily in Europe.

Personal Life & Struggles

Marriages & Children

• In 1937, Ingrid married Petter Aron Lindström, a dentist who later became a neurosurgeon.

• The couple had one daughter, Pia Lindström.

• She later married Roberto Rossellini; their relationship produced children including Isabella Rossellini, who would go on to become a well-known actress and model.

Health & Death

• In the 1970s, Ingrid was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent surgery and treatment, but the disease later spread.

• She died in London on 29 August 1982—her 67th birthday.

• She was buried in Norra Begravningsplatsen in Stockholm.

Artistic Style & Legacy

• Ingrid Bergman is often praised for her naturalism—she had an ability to make emotional truth feel effortless, resisting overt theatricality.

• Her versatility allowed her to act convincingly in dramas, romances, suspense films, period pieces, and art cinema in multiple languages.

• She challenged Hollywood's beauty norms: when Selznick reportedly wanted her to alter her eyebrows or teeth, she refused.

• Despite scandal and exile, she made strong comebacks, showing resilience in both her craft and spirit.

• Her working across Sweden, Hollywood, and Italy by blending cultural traditions enriched global cinema and opened doors for actresses to cross linguistic and national boundaries.

In 2015, on her centenary, the film world honored her with retrospectives, exhibitions, and renewed critical appraisal of her films.

Famous Quotes

Here are a few memorable quotes attributed to Ingrid Bergman that reflect her perspective on life, art, and identity:

• “A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.”

• “Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better!”

• “Happiness is good health and a bad memory.”

• “There are advantages to being a star though — you can always get a table in a full restaurant.”

• “Cancer victims who don’t accept their fate, who don’t learn to live with it, will only destroy what little time they have left.”

• From her IMDb quotes: “The best way to keep young is to keep going in whatever it is that keeps you going. With me that’s work, and a lot of it.”

• Also: “I’ve gone from saint to whore and back to saint again, all in one lifetime.” (said to her daughter Isabella Rossellini)

These lines reveal a blend of humor, self-awareness, humility, and courage.

Lessons & Takeaways

1. Authenticity as strength. Ingrid resisted artificial standards of beauty and demanded that her identity remain intact on screen.

2. Resilience through adversity. Despite public censure and personal trials, she continuously reinvented her career across countries and genres.

3. Cross-cultural artistry. Her willingness to act in multiple languages and cinematic traditions shows that boundaries in art can be transcended.

4. Embrace complexity, not box characters. Her life and roles embodied moral nuance rather than binary definitions of womanhood or virtue.

5. Work as nourishment. She believed staying engaged creatively was central not just to her career but to her vitality.

Conclusion

Ingrid Bergman stands among cinema’s greats — not only for her beauty and awards but for her emotional honesty, artistic courage, and unyielding commitment to integrity. Her career spanned continents and decades, and her story continues to resonate with artists and audiences alike.