Bergman's medieval morality play struck the international film world like a bolt of lightning and made its creator world-famous. Returning to a Sweden besieged by the plague of the 14th century, a disillusioned knight (Max Von Sydow), only to discover that Death has come for him as well. Film history’s most famous high-stakes chess game ensues.

“On the screen, one does poetry or one does prose. Usually you can tell the difference, clearly. Persona and The Seventh Seal are poetry.”

—Woody Allen