A road movie before there was a name for it. Doctor Isak Borg is slated to receive an honorary degree from the university of Lund on the fiftieth anniversary of his doctorate. His daughter-in-law Marianne drives him to the southern Swedish city. Their route takes them to many places that are familiar to Isak from his childhood and youth, bringing to life dreams and memories in him. The car trip and the journey of life become one. A visit to his headstrong mother, meetings with three young hitchhikers and a squabbling married couple, and Marianne’s harsh truths force the lone misfit into a brutal confrontation with himself in the emotionally charged atmosphere of the car. The film, which won the 1957 Golden Bear at the Berlin film festival, incorporates a self-reflective look at cinematic reality by having Borg’s memories appear as projections in front of the passenger seat.