When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.
Cast
Gunnar Björnstrand
Jöns
Bengt Ekerot
Death
Nils Poppe
Jof
Max von Sydow
Antonius Block
Bibi Andersson
Mia
Inga Gill
Lisa
Maud Hansson
Witch
Inga Landgré
Karin
Gunnel Lindblom
Mute Girl
Bertil Anderberg
Raval
Anders Ek
Monk
Åke Fridell
Plog
Gunnar Olsson
Albertus Pictor
Erik Strandmark
Jonas Skat
Lars Lind
Young Monk (uncredited)
Benkt-Åke Benktsson
Merchant at Inn (uncredited)
Tor Borong
Farmer at Inn (uncredited)
Gudrun Brost
Woman at Inn (uncredited)
Harry Asklund
Landlord (uncredited)
Ulf Johansson
Knight Commander (uncredited)
Sten Ardenstam
Knight (uncredited)
Gordon Löwenadler
Knight (uncredited)
Karl Widh
Man with Crutches (uncredited)
Tommy Karlsson
Mikael (uncredited)
Siv Aleros
Flagellant (uncredited)
Bengt Gillberg
Flagellant (uncredited)
Lars Granberg
Flagellant (uncredited)
Gunlög Hagberg
Flagellant (uncredited)
Gun Hammargren
Flagellant (uncredited)
Uno Larsson
Flagellant (uncredited)
Lennart Lilja
Flagellant (uncredited)
Monica Lindman
Flagellant (uncredited)
Helge Sjökvist
Flagellant (uncredited)
Georg Skarstedt
Flagellant (uncredited)
Ragnar Sörman
Flagellant (uncredited)
Lennart Tollén
Flagellant (uncredited)
Caya Wickström
Flagellant (uncredited)
Catherine Berg
Young Kneeling Woman (uncredited)
Mona Malm
Young Pregnant Woman (uncredited)
Tor Isedal
Man (uncredited)
Josef Norman
Old Man at Inn (uncredited)
Gösta Prüzelius
Man (uncredited)
Fritjof Tall
Man (uncredited)
Nils Whiten
Old Man Addressed by Monk (uncredited)
Lena Bergman
Young Kneeling Woman (uncredited)
Crew
Ingmar Bergman
Director, Author, Screenplay
Lennart Wallén
Editor
Gunnar Fischer
Director of Photography
Lennart Olsson
Assistant Director
Allan Ekelund
Producer
P.A. Lundgren
Production Design
Åke Nilsson
Assistant Camera
Manne Lindholm
Costume Design
Nils Nittel
Makeup Artist
Evald Andersson
Sound Effects
Aaby Wedin
Sound
Lennart Wallin
Sound
Erik Nordgren
Original Music Composer
Katinka Faragó
Script Supervisor
Else Fisher
Choreographer
Carl-Henry Cagarp
Unit Manager
Sixten Ehrling
Conductor
