This is part of the speech that the priest gives at Agnes’ funeral.
“Should it be that you gather up our suffering in agony into your body. Should it be you bore with you this hardship through death. Should it be that you meet with god as you come to that other land. Should it be that you find his countenance turned toward you then. Should it be that you know the language to speak so this God may hear and understand. Should it be that you then talk with this God and he hears you out. Should it be so, pray for us. Agnes, dear child, please listen. Listen to what I have to tell you now. Pray for us who have been left in darkness, left behind on this miserable Earth with the sky above us, grim and empty. Lay your burden at God’s feet, the whole of all your suffering, and plead with Him to pardon us. Plead with Him that He may free us of our anxiety and of our weariness, of our misgivings and fears. Plead with him that He may make sense and meaning of our lives. Agnes, you who have borne your anguish and suffering so long are most surely worthy of advocating our cause.”
Clearly he thinks of her as a saint, if not a modern Christ figure.
Michael Convery
I’ve just recently re-watched Cries and Whispers. This movie gets more powerful with each viewing. The first time left me bemused, but this latest viewing left me on the verge of tears.
Now, there could be dozens of possible interpretations for this film, most if not all valid. The reason being the difficulty of telling what is reality and illusion in this film. I have a many myself, but there is one that I want to share to see what others think.
At least on some level, could Cries and Whispers be a secular Passion play? A Passion chamber drama?
I’m not a religious person, but I ask because of the numerous similarities between Agnes and Jesus:
1) The Pietà position with Anna, a devout Christian, and the only one of the three who truly loves Agnes.
2) Her “resurrection”
3) The priest’s comments at her death bed.
4) Her moments of “grace”
5) “Agnes” means holy, pure, sacred, etc.
And what is the salvation she is trying to share with the people she loves? Just a few minutes of perfect “togetherness”. Perhaps the only heaven we can hope for.
Any thoughts?