The Rite

Movie

1969

1h 16m

Swedish

TV Movie, Drama

User Score:

7.1

Critic Score:

Watch on The Criterion Channel

Play Trailer

The Rite

Movie

1969

1h 16m

Swedish

TV Movie, Drama

Play Trailer

Watch on The Criterion Channel

A judge in an unnamed country interviews three actors, together and singly, provoking them while investigating a pornographic performance for which they may face a fine. Their relationships are complicated: Sebastian, volatile, a heavy drinker, in debt, guilty of killing his former partner, is having an affair with that man's widow. She is Thea, high strung, prone to fits, and seemingly fragile, currently married to Sebastian's new partner, Hans. Hans is the troupe leader, wealthy, self-contained, and growing tired. The judge plays on the trio's insecurities, but when they finally, in a private session with him, perform the masque called The Rite, they may have their revenge.

WATCHMODE

7.1

IMDB

CRITIC SCORE

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Available in 1 other country.

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Cast

Thea Winkelmann

Sebastian Fisher

Hans Winkelmann

Judge Dr. Abrahamson

Priest

Directed By: Ingmar Bergman

Written By: Ingmar Bergman

Featured Comments/Tips

csrz says...

3 years ago

A surreal yet artistic psychological crime drama exploring the relationship between artists and their art and how other people perceive them. Although the repetition, talkiness, and stagey feel make this 72-minute running time feel a lot longer than it actually is, it's packed with suspense and tension and keep you intrigued until the last minute. Dividing it into chapters, with each focusing on a different member of the troupe, really get your mind working to connect the pieces together. Lots of close ups in confined spaces allowing the actors to shine in either an intimate or claustrophobic setting. Adding unsettling and minimalistic score in the mix helps to further the film's disturbing tone.

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xSatisfactionx says...

2 years ago

The original (Swedish) title is _Riten_.

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Featured User Reviews

CRCulver

6 years ago

1969's Riten (The Rite) is one of the least known of Ingmar Bergman's films of the 1960s. Part of that is because the film was made for Swedish television instead of enjoying an international theatrical release. But another reason is that Riten is markedly inferior to his other films o More

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