Schreie und Flüstern
Before the film's release, estimations of Bergman were lowered by "The Rite" (1969) and "The Touch" (1971). In Sweden, "Svenska Dagbladet" critic Åke Janzon and "Dagens Nyheter" critic Hanserik Hjerten assessed "Cries and Whispers" as a poetically-rendered psychological study. Critic O. Foss wrote a less-positive review in "Fant", calling it "a rhapsody of petrified Bergman themes".