Cries and Whispers (1972)

 Ingmar Bergman's "Cries and Whispers"


While "Persona" may be a shining, monolithic beacon in the discography of Ingmar Bergman, 1972's "Cries and Whispers" certainly comes close to equaling its greatness. Now fully in his color period, specifically using Eastman coloring for this effort, Bergman takes advantage of color to its fully affect. He infuses the film with the color crimson, giving the film a gothic quality somehow (despite crimson being completely oppositional to darker, more gothic colors). 

The reason for this gothic texture stems from the film's themes of terminality. After all, the film centers around two sisters (and a maidservant) who must witness the excruciating and slow death of their beloved sister, Agnes. During these tragic moments, the sisters must reconcile with their own profound suffering, along with the irreparable fractures between them. 

While death certainly is THE theme of the film, "Cries and Whispers" uses it as an extension into every conceivable byproduct of death's reach. Bergman seems to use the context of the death in the family to explore the reaction to death by each of its members. Thereby, the film muses on the relationship between the living and the reality of death. How does one behave themselves knowing of their own finality and the finality of all that exists around them? 

If that isn't enough for you, Bergman uses his film to explore the nature of sex and gender roles - as well as class divides and general social fractures. Bergman seems to be exploring the vastness with which the fear of death acts as a causality to every facet of life. The reasons of our suffering, for our behavior, for the way in which we dictate gender and class, and so on and so forth.

However, I feel that there is only so much that can be said about "Cries and Whispers." One can only feel it by its sheer experience. Watching it is like staring headlong into the creeping abyss, knowing full well that its closeness draws nearer and nearer. In observing our characters' struggles with its inevitability, the viewer must reconcile for themselves how they bare that endless pain. 

"Cries and Whispers" is a film beyond words. It's explorations of death and grief, mixed with social ramifications of gender and class, make it one of the most compelling films I've ever had the great experience of watching. 



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