Why Ingmar Bergman invented an Irish proverb to frame a comedy about Satan
In short: In 1960, Ingmar Bergman directed a fantasy comedy centered on a bizarre premise: Satan suffers from a painful eye infection caused by the purity of a young woman. To cure his ailment, the devil dispatches the legendary Don Juan to Earth, setting off a chain of ironic, supernatural consequences.
The film, titled The Devil's Eye, originated from a studio mandate. SF Studios insisted that Bergman produce a comedy before they would greenlight his more serious project, The Virgin Spring. Drawing inspiration from a Danish radio play by Oluf Bang, Bergman crafted a narrative around the idea that a woman's virtue acts as a literal irritant to the devil. Notably, the Irish proverb cited in the film—which equates female chastity to a stye in Satan's eye—is entirely fictional, a clever invention by the director himself.
The plot follows Don Juan, who is trapped in a repetitive, frustrating cycle of seduction in hell. Satan offers him a reprieve: if he can corrupt Britt-Marie, a twenty-year-old vicar's daughter, he will be granted a dreamless sleep. Accompanied by his servant Pablo, Don Juan descends to Earth. However, the mission takes an unexpected turn when the legendary lover finds himself genuinely falling in love with his target, rendering him unable to complete his task through his usual manipulative methods.
The resolution of the film subverts traditional morality. After Don Juan returns to hell, Britt-Marie marries her fiancé, Jonas. While the loss of her virginity does not cure Satan's eye, her decision to lie to her husband about her past encounters with Don Juan finally heals him. This minor victory for the devil leads to a final, ironic twist: Satan denies Don Juan his promised rest, instead sentencing him to a new, cruel punishment where he is forced to dream of love forever.
While the film holds a 71% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on seven reviews, it remains a curious footnote in Bergman's extensive filmography. In 2018, it was included in The Criterion Collection's massive box set, Ingmar Bergman's Cinema, preserving this blend of theological farce and romantic irony for modern audiences. The film highlights Bergman's ability to weave existential dread and sharp wit, even when working under the constraints of studio-imposed genre requirements.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Devil's Eye
- Also: Wikidata — The Devil's Eye · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — The Devil's Eye · CC0
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