The Best Intentions (1992)

VHS CASE/ SIDE

Length of film:  181 Minutes (Extended: 325 Minutes)

Rated: PG

Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance

Director: Bille August

Starring: Samuel Fröler, Pernilla August, Max von Sydow, Ghita Nørby, Lennart Hjulström, Mona Malm, Lena Endre

IMDB Rank: 7.7 /10 (July 2026)

Part 1 Time:  107 Minutes (Extended: N/A Minutes)

Part 2 Time:   74 Minutes (Extended: N/A Minutes)

*** Released first as a miniseries then theatrically. The intermission point can be awkward if watching in DVD format as it happens within chapter 7.

Where does the first part end? Henrik (Samuel Fröler) and Anna (Pernilla August) get married.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: Anna responds to her mother Karin (Ghita Nørby); “I wish it were.” This is a response in relation to past events between Henrik and Karin.

First line of dialogue on the second part: The second part opens with a montage of scenes showing Henrik and Anna’s new married life. Anna visits a small clinic helping the ill. She listens to a patient’s breathing and says; “That’s it, once again now.”

How jarring is it when the first part ends?  Minimal, through many ups and downs Henrik and Anna are finally married and are ready to start a life together in the remote village of Forsboda.

Which part is better? Although not having an official intermission, the film is clearly split into two halves (with the first half addressing Henrik and Anna’s courtship/ engagement and the second half married life). The second half is much more memorable due to its emotional intensity and strong dramatic scenes. The audience is essentially a ‘fly on a wall,’ witnessing the pressures (i.e., money, faith, and pride) of Henrik and Anna’s marriage.

Academy Awards: None

Other Awards: 1992 Palme d’Or (Winner)