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Cries and Whispers

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91% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
As Agnes (Harriet Andersson) slowly dies of cancer, her sisters are so deeply immersed in their own psychic pains that they can't offer her the support she needs. Maria (Liv Ullmann) is wracked with guilt at her husband's suicide, caused by his discovery of her extramarital affair. The self-loathing, suicidal Karin (Ingrid Thulin) seems to regard her sister with revulsion. Only Anna (Kari Sylwan), the deeply religious maid who lost her young child, seems able to offer Agnes solace and empathy.
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Cries and Whispers

Cries and Whispers

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Critics Consensus

Visually stunning and achingly performed, Ingmar Bergman's chamber piece is a visceral rumination on death and sisterhood.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael New Yorker There’s a dullness at the heart of the movie, and the allegorical scheme leads to scenes that recall the conventions of silent films and the clichés of second-rate movie acting. Sep 29, 2023 Full Review Kevin Maher Times (UK) Bergman is simultaneously at his most brilliant and most brutal in this unforgiving 90-minute psychodrama... Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2022 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian This film burns, like ice held to the skin. Rated: 5/5 Mar 31, 2022 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia I find it to be a finely tuned psychological drama, in which Bergman, with dense aesthetics, offers an intimate and oppressive portrait of suffering, death and femininity. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 7/10 Oct 6, 2024 Full Review Tim Brayton Alternate Ending Maybe the "easiest" of Bergman's major films, blunt in its symbolism, literal in its dialogue, unmistakable in its style. Rated: 5/5 Nov 24, 2020 Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com Bizarre and magnificently unnerving in its configuration of human emotion, there's a palpable discomfort to Cries and Whispers, with Sven Nyqvist's impressive cinematography gazing with unwavering patience into the faces of its four females. Rated: 5/5 Oct 28, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Leaburn O Sorry but that was just dull, with a few noteworthy scenes interspersed in the boredom. Generally I find Bergman hard to watch but a few of his pictures are bearable. This isn’t one of them and I don’t understand why it is so revered by film critics. Watched on SKY Cinema. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/17/24 Full Review CodyZamboni Movie starts off and ends strong, with an amazing use of the color red throughout. But my empathy for the characters went downhill as the movie progressed, as the characters started acting more wacky, Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/03/23 Full Review Il B CRIES AND WHISPERS depicts the tale of two sisters, who after spending years apart, reunite at their childhood home, where their sister’s health is diminishing every second. The two visiting sisters have a troublesome past and find it extremely difficult to communicate with each other. A lack of empathy from the two leaves the slowly and painfully dying sister’s maid, Anna, to be her only carer during her final hours. The film identifies grief, paranoia, mistrust, depression and fear. CRIES AND WHISPERS is a perfect depiction of the horror behind life and its meaning. This is easily one of Ingmar Bergman’s best works. The film is painful, upsetting, petrifying disturbing and perturbing to watch. It is easily one of the best depictions of illness in cinema. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/10/23 Full Review Thomas V This film is tough going, but in the best way. There's so much to unpack here, but the cinematography and use of color is brilliant. This is harsh subject matter, but well worth it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Love, love, love! This movie is my favorite from Bergman, it makes me feel so calm and happy! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member "A "beautifully realized meditation on life, death and relationships." Not easy to watch in spots, though. (1/2 star removed for minor comprehensibility issues, easily resolved through a little research.) Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Cries and Whispers

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Movie Info

Synopsis As Agnes (Harriet Andersson) slowly dies of cancer, her sisters are so deeply immersed in their own psychic pains that they can't offer her the support she needs. Maria (Liv Ullmann) is wracked with guilt at her husband's suicide, caused by his discovery of her extramarital affair. The self-loathing, suicidal Karin (Ingrid Thulin) seems to regard her sister with revulsion. Only Anna (Kari Sylwan), the deeply religious maid who lost her young child, seems able to offer Agnes solace and empathy.
Director
Ingmar Bergman
Producer
Lars-Owe Carlberg, Ingmar Bergman
Screenwriter
Ingmar Bergman
Distributor
New World Pictures, Criterion Collection
Production Co
Cinematograph AB, Svenska Filminstitutet
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Swedish
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 21, 1972, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 18, 2016
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Mono
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