The plot: Traveling actors Hans (Gunnar Björnstrand), Sebastian (Anders Ek) and Thea (Ingrid Thulin) perform an act on stage (The Rite) supposedly involving nudity and having explicit sexual content. Hans is Thea's husband (and the impresario for the trio) and Sebastian is Thea's lover. A judge (Erik Hell) seems bent on stopping the supposedly obscene performance and interrogates each actor individually about The Rite and the nature of their relationship. The inquests result in twisted, corkscrewed interactions and the humiliation of the judge, humiliation being one of Bergman's trademarks. Finally, The Rite is performed in the judge's office and has, to say the least, unexpected results.
Bergman was an actor himself and lived his working life among actors, and it is not surprising he could write good dialogue for actors impersonating actors, even if the characters are mostly devoid of any redeeming quality. The judge, however, is a literary concoction and his methods bear no relation to any law practice ever known. To accept his character needs unhealthy doses of suspension of disbelief. The Rite seems mysterious and alluring until we see it performed, when it is revealed as an orgy of Gothic nonsense to the point of parody, sinister masks and all.
The actors do a credible job with their lines. Björnstrand plays his usual precise, punctilious and somewhat pedantic character and Ek takes good advantage of his strong screen presence although he is a bit over the top here and there. Thulin shows her usual excellence but her role includes some embarrassing moments, such as one where she emotes in smeared clown makeup (shades of Fellini?). Echoes of various Bergman movies can be heard, in particular The Magician (1958). But while the latter had in the end a rather positive message this one has none; if anything it shows a deep, pervading mistrust and contempt of humankind. In the end, the film leaves a bad aftertaste.
Bergman was an actor himself and lived his working life among actors, and it is not surprising he could write good dialogue for actors impersonating actors, even if the characters are mostly devoid of any redeeming quality. The judge, however, is a literary concoction and his methods bear no relation to any law practice ever known. To accept his character needs unhealthy doses of suspension of disbelief. The Rite seems mysterious and alluring until we see it performed, when it is revealed as an orgy of Gothic nonsense to the point of parody, sinister masks and all.
The actors do a credible job with their lines. Björnstrand plays his usual precise, punctilious and somewhat pedantic character and Ek takes good advantage of his strong screen presence although he is a bit over the top here and there. Thulin shows her usual excellence but her role includes some embarrassing moments, such as one where she emotes in smeared clown makeup (shades of Fellini?). Echoes of various Bergman movies can be heard, in particular The Magician (1958). But while the latter had in the end a rather positive message this one has none; if anything it shows a deep, pervading mistrust and contempt of humankind. In the end, the film leaves a bad aftertaste.