IngmarBergman'sTheSerpent'sEggfollowsaweekinthelifeofAbelRosenberg,anout-of-workAmericancircusacrobatlivinginpoverty-strickenBerlinfollowingGermany'sdefeatinWorldWarI.Whenhisbrothercommitssuicide,AbelseeksrefugeintheapartmentofanoldacquaintanceProfessorVeregus.Desperatetomakeendsmeetinthewar-ravagedcity,AbeltakesajobinVeregus'clinic,wherehediscoversthehorrifictruthbehindtheworkofthestrangelybeneficentprofessorandunlocksthechillingmysterythatdrovehisbrothertokillhimself.