If you are one of the sheep who believes an Ingmar Bergman film must be a masterpiece because you've been told they are, then by all means watch this pseudo artistic piece of baloney.
On the other hand, if you prefer a film that actually has a plot, a definite ending, some point to it, explanations for why the characters behave as they do and where something happens - skip this one.
In the opening, prior to the title, the film just jumps around from meaningless image to meaningless image, mostly centering on a scrawny young boy running his hand over the close-up of some woman's face, accompanied by music akin to fingernails on a blackboard.
However, once the title is shown then the film settles down to center around two women.
One is an actress, Elisabeth Vogler who has gone mute, the other is Alma, who has been hired as her nurse. Why she needs a nurse is unclear, since physically she is all right--and the nurse does nothing to aid her psychologically. Neither does Ms. Vogler's doctor. Instead, Ms. Vogler, accompanied by Alma, is sent to stay at the doctor's beach cottage, in a rather isolated area. How this is suppose to help her condition is never explained, beyond resting.
Since Elisabeth does not speak, Alma more than makes up for it by talking at her endlessly.
We are teased by undercurrents of lesbianism on the part of the two women, but this comes to nothing--just like the rest of the film.
Eventually, Alma confesses an unbelievable, graphically described, rather disgusting sex scene in which she was involved, and reads a letter Elisbath leaves unsealed, which the actress wrote to the doctor. The letter makes Alma mad and she rants quite a bit at Elisabeth. I think this is the one time Elisabeth does speak--gets too scared not to, I suppose.
Alma also rants at Elisabeth about Elisabeth's feelings in regards to her young son. How Alma would know any of this, is never explained. In fact, she does the same exact scene twice in a row--why the director decided to repeat this, like everything else in this film--unknown.
There is also an odd scene where Elisabeth's husband visits. Although never said, I assumed he was blind since he was wearing black glasses. He seems to think Alma is his wife and she goes along with it for some unknown reason, while nimble-wits Elisabeth merely stands by watching.
Even a blind person would know their own spouse, so this scene is absurd and completely unbelievable.
The film comes to no particular conclusion.
Although Alma is shown driving a car at one point in the film, it ends with her getting on a bus as if she has no other transportation, nor do we know where she is going.
2 stars is being generous.
On the other hand, if you prefer a film that actually has a plot, a definite ending, some point to it, explanations for why the characters behave as they do and where something happens - skip this one.
In the opening, prior to the title, the film just jumps around from meaningless image to meaningless image, mostly centering on a scrawny young boy running his hand over the close-up of some woman's face, accompanied by music akin to fingernails on a blackboard.
However, once the title is shown then the film settles down to center around two women.
One is an actress, Elisabeth Vogler who has gone mute, the other is Alma, who has been hired as her nurse. Why she needs a nurse is unclear, since physically she is all right--and the nurse does nothing to aid her psychologically. Neither does Ms. Vogler's doctor. Instead, Ms. Vogler, accompanied by Alma, is sent to stay at the doctor's beach cottage, in a rather isolated area. How this is suppose to help her condition is never explained, beyond resting.
Since Elisabeth does not speak, Alma more than makes up for it by talking at her endlessly.
We are teased by undercurrents of lesbianism on the part of the two women, but this comes to nothing--just like the rest of the film.
Eventually, Alma confesses an unbelievable, graphically described, rather disgusting sex scene in which she was involved, and reads a letter Elisbath leaves unsealed, which the actress wrote to the doctor. The letter makes Alma mad and she rants quite a bit at Elisabeth. I think this is the one time Elisabeth does speak--gets too scared not to, I suppose.
Alma also rants at Elisabeth about Elisabeth's feelings in regards to her young son. How Alma would know any of this, is never explained. In fact, she does the same exact scene twice in a row--why the director decided to repeat this, like everything else in this film--unknown.
There is also an odd scene where Elisabeth's husband visits. Although never said, I assumed he was blind since he was wearing black glasses. He seems to think Alma is his wife and she goes along with it for some unknown reason, while nimble-wits Elisabeth merely stands by watching.
Even a blind person would know their own spouse, so this scene is absurd and completely unbelievable.
The film comes to no particular conclusion.
Although Alma is shown driving a car at one point in the film, it ends with her getting on a bus as if she has no other transportation, nor do we know where she is going.
2 stars is being generous.