Rotten
The Serpent's Egg lacks both the strength and depth of Bergman's major work. By going outwardly international, the master becomes perilously close to becoming shallow as well.
Variety Staff, Variety
The Serpent's Egg
The kind of terror that could never be... until now... until Bergman!
1977 · 2h · R
Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Directed by
Ingmar Bergman
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The Serpent's Egg
Overview
In 1923 Berlin, following the suicide of his brother, an American acrobat struggles to survive while facing unemployment, depression, alcoholism, and the social decay of Germany during the Weimar Republic.
Director and cast
- Ingmar Bergman Director
- David Carradine as Abel Rosenberg
- Liv Ullmann as Manuela Rosenberg
- Gert Fröbe as Inspector Bauer
- Heinz Bennent as Hans Vergerus
- Toni Berger as Monsieur Rosenberg
- Christian Berkel as Student
- Paula Braend as Madame Hemse
- Erna Brünell as Madame Rosenberg
- Paul Bürks as Cabaret Comedian
- Gaby Dohm as Woman with Child
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
20%
Tomatometer
Rotten
Bergman's paranoia runs dementedly and tediously out of control.
Derek Adams, Time Out
Rotten
A melodrama that never quite makes any connection to the characters within it.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Rotten
The movie is a cry of pain and protest, a loud and jarring assault, but it is not a statement and it is certainly not a whole and organic work of art.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Rotten
Ingmar Bergman comes very close to camp in this 1977 study of life (or lack thereof) in the decaying Berlin of the 20s.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
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