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CRIES & WHISPERS
Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman,
1972
Thulin plays the sister, Karin
Old
Bergman is often better than new somebody else. Makers of contemporary
movies, and writers such
as Woody Allen, studied Bergman long and hard before writing their own. (Some might say
of Allen, he should have studied them longer, or harder.)
Cries
& Whispers is classic Bergman, which means there are many
strong-boned women suffering insufferably but beautifully, but, hey, that's
okay: that's
what we watch him for. In this magnificent long tedious drama, filmed by
Sven Nykvist, it is Agnes (played by Harriet Andersson) who is sick and
dying. Director and cameraman let the camera linger almost pornographically long
over her tortured face, and the light—the
light!—creates highlights and
shadows that are, well, fascinating. They aren't endlessly fascinating,
however.
Andersson as the dying Agnes
Meanwhile, Agnes is attended
by her sisters, Karen (Ingrid Thulin) and Maria (Liv Ullmann), and the
faithful family servant, Anna (Kari Sylwan), who almost steals the show
from the three talented actresses. But it is hard to take a scene away
from the plastic facial manipulations of Ullmann, who seemingly triumphs
over all, especially in the final ironic scene when the only faithful one
of them all, the servant, is left out of the will and summarily dismissed.
Anna nurses the dying Agnes. . . literally
In the early days, the sisters were light-hearted
and happy, as shown in this shot, repeated at the film's end in sad leit-motif
fashion
Ullmann, of course: the Face
Ullmann's
part is the most complex and offers the most opportunity for drama. And
Erland Josephson (who has not been in every film Bergman has produced, nor
has Ullmann; it only seems like it) is nearly the women's thespian equal.
Ullman, her bosom bared for the doctor's seduction. He
is played by Erland Josephson, below
If it was simply a
theatrical exercise, or one in film technique, the movie would excel, but
the story (by Bergman, as well as the direction) is full of irony,
duplicity, and human selfishness and betrayal. This lifts the movie onto
the epic plane and it thrives there. I am so enthusiastic because I never
saw it before and it newly overwhelmed me.
It's okay to be
overwhelmed by a good movie. That's what they are for.
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