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This is the question that maid Anna (Kari Sylwan) desperately asks everybody in one segment of this film. But unfortunately, nobody seems to notice, listen, or care about the "endless" crying, which is a recurring theme in this Ingrid Bergman film. Cries go unnoticed, and whispers are heard "all around".
Set in the 19th Century, Cries and Whispers follows three sisters and their maid as they cope with the terminal illness of one of them. The film opens with Agnes (Harriet Andersson), who is afflicted with an unspecified ailment, writing in her diary "It is early Monday morning and I am in pain". That sums up her days as she goes from just resting in her room to writhing in pain, all while under the watch of her two sisters, Karin and Maria (Ingrid Thulin and Liv Ullmann), and the maid.
The thing is that, besides Agnes illness, the whole family is plagued by repression, depression, frustration, loneliness, detachment, infidelity, dissatisfaction, gossiping, and a good dose of "thumb up their asses". Most of these elicit cries of frustration and anger from the people involved; cries for love, attention, or any sort of contact. Cries that tend to go unheard of or simply dismissed by others. These interactions give Bergman room to explore his usual themes of relationships, gender roles, and sexuality.
This was one of Bergman's first films in color, and he clearly makes sure to make the most of it. His vibrant use of red and white, and how he transitions from scene to scene adds a lot to the film. The performances are great, especially Thulin and Ullmann, who have the most intense exchanges. There is a certain "staginess" to it, and there's a lot of surreal vibe to everything, but for the most part it works.
Like most of Bergman's films, Cries and Whispers is a visually striking film; one that ends up being an emotional rollercoaster, as characters go up and down the spectrum: arguing, screaming, crying, loving, whispering.
Grade:
CRIES AND WHISPERS
(1972, Bergman)
Freebie
(1972, Bergman)
Freebie
"Don't you hear it? Don't you hear the crying? Don't you hear it? Someone is crying endlessly."
This is the question that maid Anna (Kari Sylwan) desperately asks everybody in one segment of this film. But unfortunately, nobody seems to notice, listen, or care about the "endless" crying, which is a recurring theme in this Ingrid Bergman film. Cries go unnoticed, and whispers are heard "all around".
Set in the 19th Century, Cries and Whispers follows three sisters and their maid as they cope with the terminal illness of one of them. The film opens with Agnes (Harriet Andersson), who is afflicted with an unspecified ailment, writing in her diary "It is early Monday morning and I am in pain". That sums up her days as she goes from just resting in her room to writhing in pain, all while under the watch of her two sisters, Karin and Maria (Ingrid Thulin and Liv Ullmann), and the maid.
The thing is that, besides Agnes illness, the whole family is plagued by repression, depression, frustration, loneliness, detachment, infidelity, dissatisfaction, gossiping, and a good dose of "thumb up their asses". Most of these elicit cries of frustration and anger from the people involved; cries for love, attention, or any sort of contact. Cries that tend to go unheard of or simply dismissed by others. These interactions give Bergman room to explore his usual themes of relationships, gender roles, and sexuality.
This was one of Bergman's first films in color, and he clearly makes sure to make the most of it. His vibrant use of red and white, and how he transitions from scene to scene adds a lot to the film. The performances are great, especially Thulin and Ullmann, who have the most intense exchanges. There is a certain "staginess" to it, and there's a lot of surreal vibe to everything, but for the most part it works.
Like most of Bergman's films, Cries and Whispers is a visually striking film; one that ends up being an emotional rollercoaster, as characters go up and down the spectrum: arguing, screaming, crying, loving, whispering.
Grade: