Hedda Gabler (Ingrid Bergman), the daughter of a general, has just returned from her honeymoon. Her husband, George Tesman ( Michael Redgrave), is a young, aspiring, and reliable academic who sparks nothing in Hedda. She married him because she thinks her years of youthful abandon are over. Men flock to Hedda, and she's bitter that she settled for less than she thought she deserved. George and Hedda are financially overstretched.

George's academic rival, Ejlert Løvborg ( Trevor Howard), is a writer, recovered alcoholic, and has just published a critically successful bestseller in the same field as George's recently published work. Ejlert is now a competitor for the university professorship George had been anticipating. Ejlert, however, the couple discovers that he has no intention of competing for the professorship, but rather has spent the last few years working on what he considers to be his masterpiece, the "sequel" to his recently published work. Hedda's old schoolmate, Thea Elvsted (Dilys Hamlett) has left her husband for Ejlert.

Apparently jealous of Thea's influence over Ejlert, Hedda hopes to come between them. Despite his drinking problem, she encourages Ejlert to accompany George and his associate, Judge Brack (Ralph Richardson), to a party.

George finds the only copy of Ejlert's complete manuscript, and leaves it in Hedda's possession. Ejlert tells Hedda and Thea that he has deliberately destroyed the manuscript. Thea is horrified, and it is revealed that it was the joint work of Ejlert and herself. Hedda says nothing to contradict Ejlert or to reassure Thea. After Thea has left, Hedda encourages Ejlert to commit suicide, giving him a pistol that had belonged to her father. She then burns the manuscript and tells George she has destroyed it to secure their future.

When the news comes that Ejlert did indeed kill himself, George and Thea are determined to try to reconstruct his book from Ejlert's notes, which Thea has kept. Hedda is shocked to discover from Judge Brack that Ejlert's death, in a brothel, was messy and probably accidental; this "ridiculous and vile" death contrasts with the "beautiful and free" one that Hedda had imagined for him. Worse, Brack knows the origins of the pistol. He tells Hedda that if he reveals what he knows, a scandal will likely arise around her. Hedda realizes that this places Brack in a position of power over her. Leaving the others, she goes into her smaller room and shoots herself in the head. The others in the room assume that Hedda is simply firing shots, and they follow the sound to investigate. The play ends with George, Brack, and Thea discovering her body.

A 1963 British Black & White TV drama directed by Alex Segal, produced by David Susskind, Norman Rutherford and Lars Schmidt, adaptation for television by Philip H. Reisman Jr. (as Phil Reisman), based on Henrik Ibsen's play of the same name, translation by Eva Le Gallienne, lighting director Phil Ward, starring Ingrid Bergman, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Trevor Howard, Dilys Hamlett and Ursula Jeans. Final screen appearance of Beatrice Varley.

The script (from a translation by English actress, producer, director Eva Le Gallienne) is abridged from Ibsen's original play, to make for easier TV viewing.

Hedda Gabler is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The world premiere was staged on January 31, 1891 at the Residenztheater in Munich. Ibsen himself was in attendance, although he remained back-stage. The play has been canonized as a masterpiece within the genres of literary realism, nineteenth century theatre, and world drama. Ibsen mainly wrote realistic plays until his forays into modern drama. The play dramatizes the experiences of a woman trapped in a marriage she doesn't want. Overall, the title character for Hedda Gabler is considered one of the great dramatic roles in theater. The year following its publication, the play received negative feedback and reviews. Hedda Gabler has been described as a female variation of Hamlet.

Hedda's married name is Hedda Tesman. Gabler is her maiden name. On the subject of the title, Ibsen wrote: "My intention in giving it this name was to indicate that Hedda as a personality is to be regarded rather as her father's daughter than her husband's wife.

In 1970 the Royal National Theatre in London staged a production of the play directed by Ingmar Bergman, starring Maggie Smith.

The play has been adapted for the screen several times, from the silent film era onwards, in several languages. In 1975, a film version directed by Nunn and starring Jackson was released as Hedda, for which Jackson was nominated for an Oscar.

A fascinating production. The acting is good and the camerawork is competent, very much the standard for 60s television. Bergman's fans will be delighted, she shines in an against-type hard edged role. Because Ingrid is so pretty, the audience understands why people around her initially trust her and let their guards down.

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