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The Serpent's Egg

Play trailer Poster for The Serpent's Egg R 1978 2h 0m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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20% Tomatometer 20 Reviews 56% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
After his brother inexplicably commits suicide, unemployed Jewish-American circus performer Abel Rosenberg (David Carradine) is stuck in Berlin with his sister-in-law, Manuela (Liv Ullmann), a cabaret singer. Desperate circumstances lead to the pair taking jobs at a medical facility run by Professor Hans Vergerus (Heinz Bennent), who also offers to give them shelter. However, the clinic turns out be a very sinister place, and soon the lives of Abel and Manuela are in serious jeopardy.

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety The Serpent's Egg lacks both the strength and depth of Bergman's major work. By going outwardly international, the master becomes perilously close to becoming shallow as well. Aug 1, 2007 Full Review Derek Adams Time Out Bergman's paranoia runs dementedly and tediously out of control. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times A melodrama that never quite makes any connection to the characters within it. Rated: 2/5 May 9, 2005 Full Review Tim Brayton Alternate Ending The Serpent's Egg is just about the worst thing for a film like this to be: it is indulgent and mercilessly dull. Rated: 2/5 Dec 18, 2020 Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com One of Bergman's darkest films. Rated: 2.0/4.0 Sep 22, 2020 Full Review Jesús Fernández Santos El Pais (Spain) Unlike other Bergman films, the dialogue here is purely informative and the dramatic moments fall into absurd gruesomeness. [Full Review in Spanish] Jul 31, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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júlio a Não é um filme nada fácil....mas adentrando na história real da época, ele consegue ganhar contornos bem maiores. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A huge disappointment by Bergman's lofty standards... but a perfectly enjoyable cinematic romp by just about anybody else's. Confused, confusing, peculiarly paced and downright ridiculous in places... and lumbered with a woefully mis-cast lead performance from David Carradine too... but I still really enjoyed it once I'd come to terms with the fact that this simply wasn't intended to be another Persona or Winter Light. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Bergman's THE SERPENT'S EGG, while not usually classified as one of his better films, is a beautifully shot and acted motion picture. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member A beautifully shot, depressingly rich motion picture, The Serpent's Egg is my first Bergman and I'm impressed already. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member The ending provides some saving grace for this movie, but overall it is a disappointment, largely because it is not an Ingmar Bergman movie. Yes, it says directed by Bergman, but the movie is too Americanized and less complex than Bergman's masterpieces and you can kind of tell that Bergman wasn't putting in his full effort. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member A narrativa perde o ritmo durante muitos momentos do filme, com um roteiro bem irregular e decepcionante. E se David Carradine aparece correto, Liv Ullmann trabalha bem abaixo de seu nível habitual. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Serpent's Egg

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The Serpent's Egg

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Movie Info

Synopsis After his brother inexplicably commits suicide, unemployed Jewish-American circus performer Abel Rosenberg (David Carradine) is stuck in Berlin with his sister-in-law, Manuela (Liv Ullmann), a cabaret singer. Desperate circumstances lead to the pair taking jobs at a medical facility run by Professor Hans Vergerus (Heinz Bennent), who also offers to give them shelter. However, the clinic turns out be a very sinister place, and soon the lives of Abel and Manuela are in serious jeopardy.
Director
Ingmar Bergman
Producer
Dino De Laurentiis
Screenwriter
Ingmar Bergman
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Jan 1, 1980
Runtime
2h 0m