Cries and Whispers (1972)

Synopsis of Cries and Whispers

Cries and Whispers stars Liv Ullman and Ingrid Thulin as the sisters of dying cancer patient Harriet Andersson. Both sisters have already had brushes with death: Ullman has had an affair which prompted her husband's suicide, while Thulin has long wanted to do away with herself, at one point mutilating her own vagina out of self-hatred. As for Andersson, she has been in pain so long that she feels as though she's in the midst of death-in-life. With her two sisters wrapped up in their own problems, Harriet turns to her housekeeper Kari Sylwan for comfort; Sylwan has herself suffered the death of a child, and has developed a philosophical attitude towards impending doom. One of the most influential moments of the film -- when two of the sisters share the innermost thoughts that they'd kept from one another for so many years -- is filmed without benefit of dialogue, with the music of Chopin (enhanced by cinematographer Sven Nykvist's carefully selected camera angles) "speaking" for the ladies. While Cries and Whispers only won the Oscar for cinematography, the film did very well for itself in international awards contests. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:

91 mins

Director(s):

Ingmar Bergman

Writer(s):

Ingmar Bergman

Producer(s):

Ingmar Bergman, Lars-Owe Carlberg

Theatrical MPAA Rating:

R(Rape & Sexual Abuse, Nudity, Not For Children, Adult Situations)

• 1973 - National Board of Review - Best Director
• 1973 - National Board of Review - Best Foreign Film
• 1972 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Picture
• 1972 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Actress
• 1972 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Screenplay
• 1972 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Director

Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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