The Silence

The Silence

BERGMAN at his most POWERFUL! SHOCKING! BOLD!

1963 · 95 min · ★ 7.5 · Drama, Romance

Traveling through an unnamed European country on the brink of war, sickly, intellectual Ester, her sister Anna and Anna's young son, Johan, check into a near-empty hotel. A basic inability to communicate among the three seems only to worsen during their stay. Anna provokes her sister by enjoying a dalliance with a local man, while the boy, left to himself, has a series of enigmatic encounters that heighten the growing air of isolation.

Directed by Ingmar Bergman · Written by Ingmar Bergman

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Criterion Channel

Rent or Buy

Apple TV StoreGoogle Play MoviesYouTubeFandango At Home

Cast

Make it a double feature

2h 55m together

The Silence

Winter Light

Both from Ingmar Bergman.

More from Ingmar BergmanSee all →

Face to FaceFace to Face · 1976
Face to Face
8.31976
SeriesDrama
A psychiatrist temporarily separated from her family begins to experience severe psychological distress while working at a mental hospital and returning to her childhood home. As her professional responsibilities and personal relationships intersect, she undergoes a breakdown that forces her to confront long-suppressed memories and fears. (Note: This entry refers to the 1976 four-part Swedish television miniseries. A condensed theatrical feature edited from the same material was released separately in 1976.)
Fanny and AlexanderFanny and Alexander · 1984
Fanny and Alexander
8.31984
SeriesDrama
Through the eyes of ten-year-old Alexander, we witness the delights and conflicts of the Ekdahl family, a sprawling bourgeois clan in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Sweden.
The Seventh SealThe Seventh Seal · 1957
The Seventh Seal
8.11957
MovieFantasyDrama
When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.
PersonaPersona · 1966
Persona
8.11966
MovieDrama
A young nurse, Alma, is put in charge of Elisabeth Vogler: an actress who is seemingly healthy in all respects, but will not talk. As they spend time together, Alma speaks to Elisabeth constantly, never receiving any answer.
Scenes from a MarriageScenes from a Marriage · 1973
Scenes from a Marriage
8.11973
SeriesDrama
Johan and Marianne's marriage appears stable, but their relationship begins to unravel when Johan reveals an affair. Over several years, we follow their separation, divorce, and continued interactions as they form new relationships while remaining emotionally bound to one another.
Wild StrawberriesWild Strawberries · 1957
Wild Strawberries
8.11957
MovieDrama
Crotchety retired doctor Isak Borg travels from Stockholm to Lund, Sweden, with his pregnant and unhappy daughter-in-law, Marianne, in order to receive an honorary degree from his alma mater. Along the way, they encounter a series of hitchhikers, each of whom causes the elderly doctor to muse upon the pleasures and failures of his own life. These include the vivacious young Sara, a dead ringer for the doctor's own first love.
Scenes from a MarriageScenes from a Marriage · 1974
Scenes from a Marriage
8.01974
MovieDramaRomance
Johan and Marianne are married and seem to have it all. Their happiness, however, is a façade for a troubled relationship, which becomes even rockier when Johan admits that he's having an affair. Before long, the spouses separate and move towards finalizing their divorce, but they make attempts at reconciling. Even as they pursue other relationships, Johan and Marianne realize that they have a significant bond, but also many issues that hinder that connection.
Autumn SonataAutumn Sonata · 1978
Autumn Sonata
8.01978
MovieDramaMusic
After a seven-year absence, Charlotte Andergast travels to Sweden to reunite with her daughter Eva. The pair have a troubled relationship: Charlotte sacrificed the responsibilities of motherhood for a career as a classical pianist. Over an emotional night, the pair reopen the wounds of the past. Charlotte gets another shock when she finds out that her mentally impaired daughter, Helena, is out of the asylum and living with Eva.
Winter LightWinter Light · 1963
Winter Light
7.91963
MovieDrama
A Swedish pastor fails a loving woman, a suicidal fisherman and God.
Cries and WhispersCries and Whispers · 1972
Cries and Whispers
7.91972
MovieDrama
As Agnes slowly dies of cancer, her sisters are so immersed in their own psychic pains that they are unable to offer her the support she needs.
The Virgin SpringThe Virgin Spring · 1960
The Virgin Spring
7.91960
MovieDramaHistory
Devout Christians Töre and Märeta send their only daughter, the virginal Karin, and their foster daughter, the unrepentant Ingeri, to deliver candles to a distant church. On their way through the woods, the girls encounter a group of savage goat herders who brutally rape and murder Karin as Ingeri remains hidden. When the killers unwittingly seek refuge in the farmhouse of Töre and Märeta, Töre plots a fitting revenge.
Fanny and AlexanderFanny and Alexander · 1982
Fanny and Alexander
7.81982
MovieFantasyDrama
As children in the loving Ekdahl family, Fanny and Alexander enjoy a happy life with their parents, who run a theater company. After their father dies unexpectedly, however, the siblings end up in a joyless home when their mother, Emilie, marries a stern bishop. The bleak situation gradually grows worse as the bishop becomes more controlling, but dedicated relatives make a valiant attempt to aid Emilie, Fanny and Alexander.
Hour of the WolfHour of the Wolf · 1968
Hour of the Wolf
7.41968
MovieDramaHorror
While vacationing on a remote German island with his younger pregnant wife, an artist has an emotional breakdown while confronting his repressed desires.
Smiles of a Summer NightSmiles of a Summer Night · 1955
Smiles of a Summer Night
7.41955
MovieComedyRomance
Early in the 20th century, middle-aged lawyer Fredrik Egerman and his young wife, Anne, have still not consummated their marriage, while Fredrik's son finds himself increasingly attracted to his new stepmother. To make matters worse, Fredrik's old flame Desiree makes a public bet that she can seduce him at a romantic weekend retreat where four couples convene, swapping partners and pairing off in unexpected ways.
The Passion of AnnaThe Passion of Anna · 1969
The Passion of Anna
7.41969
MovieDrama
A recently divorced man and an emotionally devastated widow begin a love affair.
Summer InterludeSummer Interlude · 1951
Summer Interlude
7.41951
MovieDramaRomance
During a brief summer vacation, a lonely woman recalls her first love thirteen years earlier.

More Like This

Battleship PotemkinBattleship Potemkin · 1925
Battleship Potemkin
7.61925
MovieDramaHistory
A dramatized account of a great Russian naval mutiny and a resultant public demonstration, showing support, which brought on a police massacre.
Paris, TexasParis, Texas · 1984
Paris, Texas
8.11984
MovieDrama
A man wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is. His brother finds him, and helps to pull his memory back of the life he led before he walked out on his family and disappeared four years earlier.
Ben-HurBen-Hur · 1959
Ben-Hur
7.91959
MovieHistoryDrama
In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat opposing Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, now a Roman commander — setting in motion a saga of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.
ContactContact · 1997
Contact
7.41997
MovieDramaScience Fiction
A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality.
The Bridges of Madison CountyThe Bridges of Madison County · 1995
The Bridges of Madison County
7.71995
MovieDramaRomance
Photographer Robert Kincaid wanders into the life of housewife Francesca Johnson for four days in the 1960s.
Gentlemen Prefer BlondesGentlemen Prefer Blondes · 1953
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
7.31953
MovieComedyRomance
Lorelei Lee is a beautiful showgirl engaged to be married to the wealthy Gus Esmond, much to the disapproval of Gus' rich father, Esmond Sr., who thinks that Lorelei is just after his money. When Lorelei goes on a cruise accompanied only by her best friend, Dorothy Shaw, Esmond Sr. hires Ernie Malone, a private detective, to follow her and report any questionable behavior that would disqualify her from the marriage.
Rear WindowRear Window · 1954
Rear Window
8.31954
MovieThrillerMystery
A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.
Fat GirlFat Girl · 2001
Fat Girl
6.22001
MovieDrama
Anaïs is twelve and bears the weight of the world on her shoulders. She watches her older sister, Elena, whom she both loves and hates. Elena is fifteen and devilishly beautiful. Neither more futile, nor more stupid than her younger sister, she cannot understand that she is merely an object of desire. And, as such, she can only be taken. Or had. Indeed, this is the subject: a girl's loss of virginity. And, that summer, it opens a door to tragedy.
The Man Who Knew Too MuchThe Man Who Knew Too Much · 1956
The Man Who Knew Too Much
7.41956
MovieThrillerMystery
An American doctor and his wife, a former singing star, witness a murder while vacationing in Morocco, and are drawn into a twisting plot of international intrigue when their young son is kidnapped.
The ExperimentThe Experiment · 2001
The Experiment
7.42001
MovieDramaThriller
20 volunteers agree to take part in a seemingly well-paid experiment advertised by the university. It is supposed to be about aggressive behavior in an artificial prison situation. A journalist senses a story behind the ad and smuggles himself in among the test subjects. They are randomly divided into prisoners and guards. What seems like a game at the beginning soon turns into bloody seriousness.
Dances with WolvesDances with Wolves · 1990
Dances with Wolves
7.81990
MovieAdventureDrama
Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.
The BodyguardThe Bodyguard · 1992
The Bodyguard
6.71992
MovieActionDrama
A former Secret Service agent grudgingly takes an assignment to protect a pop idol who's threatened by a crazed fan. At first, the safety-obsessed bodyguard and the self-indulgent diva totally clash. But before long, all that tension sparks fireworks of another sort, and the love-averse tough guy is torn between duty and romance.
Bridget Jones's DiaryBridget Jones's Diary · 2001
Bridget Jones's Diary
6.72001
MovieComedyRomance
Bridget Jones is an average woman struggling against expectations. As a New Year's resolution, Bridget decides to take control of her life, starting by keeping a diary in which she will always tell the complete truth. Her charming boss takes an interest in her, and she cannot stop running into a rather disagreeable acquaintance whom Bridget cannot help finding quietly attractive.
Maria Full of GraceMaria Full of Grace · 2004
Maria Full of Grace
7.22004
MovieDramaThriller
A pregnant Colombian teenager becomes a drug mule to make some desperately needed money for her family.
La Dolce VitaLa Dolce Vita · 1960
La Dolce Vita
8.01960
MovieComedyDrama
Episodic journey of journalist Marcello who struggles to find his place in the world, torn between the allure of Rome's elite social scene and the stifling domesticity offered by his girlfriend, all the while searching for a way to become a serious writer.
Human NatureHuman Nature · 2001
Human Nature
6.02001
MovieDramaComedy
Obsessive scientist Nathan and his lover, the naturalist Lila, discover Puff: a man born and raised in the wild. As Nathan trains the wild man in the civilized ways of the world, Lila fights to preserve the man’s natural state. In the power struggle that ensues, an unusual love triangle emerges.
My Own Private IdahoMy Own Private Idaho · 1991
My Own Private Idaho
7.01991
MovieDrama
In this loose adaptation of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," Mike Waters is a hustler afflicted with narcolepsy. Scott Favor is the rebellious son of a mayor. Together, the two travel from Portland, Oregon to Idaho and finally to the coast of Italy in a quest to find Mike's estranged mother. Along the way they turn tricks for money and drugs, eventually attracting the attention of a wealthy benefactor and sexual deviant.
Leaving Las VegasLeaving Las Vegas · 1995
Leaving Las Vegas
7.21995
MovieDramaRomance
Ben Sanderson, an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who lost everything because of his drinking, arrives in Las Vegas to drink himself to death. There, he meets and forms an uneasy friendship and non-interference pact with prostitute Sera.
A Beautiful MindA Beautiful Mind · 2001
A Beautiful Mind
7.92001
MovieDramaRomance
From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash Jr. experiences it all. As a brilliant but socially awkward mathematician, he made a groundbreaking discovery early in his career and stands on the brink of international acclaim. But as the handsome and arrogant Nash accepts secret work in cryptography, he becomes entangled in a mysterious conspiracy. His life takes a nightmarish turn and he soon finds himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery.
SissiSissi · 1955
Sissi
7.31955
MovieComedyDrama
The young Bavarian princess Elisabeth, who all call Sissi, goes with her mother and older sister Néné to Austria where Néné will be wed to an emperor named Franz Joseph, Yet unexpectedly Franz runs into Sissi while out fishing and they fall in love.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter