The Misanthrope (1974): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1974, The Misanthrope is a comedy and tv movie film directed by Ingmar Bergman, running about 115 minutes.

What it’s about. Bergman took one of his favourite plays to Copenhagen for a guest performance, which was even broadcast on Danish TV. In his Copenhagen The Misanthrope, Bergman maintained a dual approach. On the one hand, a production of Molière's play as a theatrical game performed in style and intellectually conceived; on the other hand, an exposure, through physical and psychological intensity, of the emotional tragedy in which Alceste and Celemine are both victims. Expectations were high prior to Bergman's production of The Misanthrope. A reviewer wrote, 'For the first time Molière's connection to the Danish stage is intercepted by a director whose forte is physiological tragedy, Strindberg over Holberg'. Many reviews had expected Bergman to put his very personal stamp on the production. Instead they experienced 'a clean Molière' and were struck by Bergman's faithfulness to the original mise-en-scene and to the classical rhythm of Molière's text.

Who’s in it. The Misanthrope stars Hanne Borchsenius as Éliante, Benny Hansen as Dubois, Holger Juul Hansen as Phillinte and Paul Hüttel as Basque, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, The Misanthrope has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Misanthrope page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Misanthrope tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.