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Cries And Whispers
1972
Ingmar Bergman's acclaimed drama, which deals with the fractured relationships between three sisters, is set in a vast turn-of-the-century manor house where unidentified voices are continually whispering and mingle with a dying woman's cries of pain. Karin and Maria (played by Ingrid Thulin and Liv Ullmann, respectively) have .. Read more
| Starring | Ingrid Thulin, Kari Sylwan, Harriet Andersson, Liv Ullmann |
|---|---|
| Director | Ingmar Bergman |
| Genres | Drama, World Cinema |
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Cries And Whispers
Ingmar Bergman's acclaimed drama, which deals with the fractured relationships between three sisters, is set in a vast turn-of-the-century manor house where unidentified voices are continually whispering and mingle with a dying woman's cries of pain. Karin and Maria (played by Ingrid Thulin and Liv Ullmann, respectively) have come to stay with their sister Agnes (Harriet Andersson), who is suffering from cancer, during the final stretch of her illness. Attending to Agnes is her faithful maid Anna (Kari Sylwan), who, in spite of her apparent social inferiority, is the only one who remains steadfast and dauntless until the very end--the two other women, plagued by guilt, loneliness, and jealousy of one another, are unable to offer assistance or even sympathy in their sister's hour of need. Lauded often for its innovative stylistic elements (such as flashbacks introduced by a fade to red--a color that dominates the picture as a whole--and extreme, expressive close-ups of the actresses' faces), CRIES AND WHISPERS features sumptuous period costume design and stunning photography by longtime Bergman cinematographer Sven Nykvist.
| Starring | Ingrid Thulin, Kari Sylwan, Harriet Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Henning Moritzen, Erland Josephson |
|---|---|
| Director | Ingmar Bergman |
| Studio | PALISADES TARTAN |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 28 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, World Cinema |
| Language | Swedish |
| Subtitles | English |
| Released | DVD: 25 Feb 2002 Production year: 1972 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Focusing on the failure of love and the agony of loss, this is one of Ingmar Bergman's finest achievements. Combining memories, fantasies and moments of intense family drama, this harrowing study of pain, passion, sisterhood and death brought Bergman a hat-trick of Oscar nominations, although it was Sven Nykvist who won the award for his luscious cinematography. However, it's the stunning art direction of Marik Vos that provides this disturbing chamber drama with its unforgettable manor house setting and its mesmerising red colour scheme. Harriet Andersson, Ingrid Thulin and Liv Ullmann dominate proceedings as the well-heeled sisters, but Kari Sylwan is every bit as impressive as the peasant maid.
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You can interpret Cries and Whispers through a whole religious metaphysic, and no doubt Bergman himself would; but... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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18 out of 18 people found this review helpful
Absorbing drama
Ingmar Bergman's 'Cries and Whispers' is a compelling portrait of a family dealing with a relative's impending death, while also facing their own demons. Agnes(Harriet Anderssen) is slowly and painfully dying. She is cared for by her two sisters Karin(Ingrid Thulin) and Maria(Liv Ullman) and her devoted maid Anna(Kari Sylwan).
As the sisters care for Agnes, we learn more about their pasts in flashbacks. Bergman reveals us Maria's flirty and unfaithful history and also shows Karin to be a repressed and potentially dangerous character. While the two sisters become more wrapped up in their own antagonism with each other, Anna continues to give herself fully to Agnes.
How you take to 'Cries and Whispers' will depend on your level of patience and your reaction to Bergman's typically austere direction. It's an often painful film to watch(one particular sequence, involving a shard of glass, is incredibly shocking) and the central performances are devastating. Stunningly shot in reds, whites and blacks, the film is filled with with startling imagery and moments of haunting power. It may be hard to fathom exactly what Bergman is driving at here but a few days after seeing it, I can't seem to get it out of my head. -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
For Bergman fans - a must see!
Shocking, moving and exhilarating. Bergman's chamber piece drama is a must see for his fans or fans of great cinema. If you want to indulge in a bit of existential angst on a rainy sunday afternoon this is the movie for you.
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Ingmar Bergman's acclaimed drama, which deals with the fractured relationships between three sisters, is set in a vast turn-of-the-century manor house where unidentified voices are continually ... -