Berlin, 1923. Following the suicide of his brother, American circus acrobat Abel Rosenberg attempts to survive while facing unemployment, depression, alcoholism and the social decay of Germany during the Weimar Republic.
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,
1 Aug 2007
rotten:
Bergman's paranoia runs dementedly and tediously out of control.
– Derek Adams,
Time Out,
9 Feb 2006
rotten:
A melodrama that never quite makes any connection to the characters within it.
– Vincent Canby,
New York Times,
9 May 2005
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,
23 Oct 2004
rotten:
Ingmar Bergman comes very close to camp in this 1977 study of life (or lack thereof) in the decaying Berlin of the 20s.