It is one of the rare films in which eroticism transpires. It is about a professor of design, who contested by his students and bullied by his wife, decides to retreat and to paint nature. He finds himself caught up in an extravagant series of spicy situations. In fact Serpentin is made up of three or four rudimentary frames which could be entitled: "Serpentin et les nymphes sylvestres", "Serpentin fait un portrait aux champs", "Serpentin et les belles naïades". The tone is slightly salacious, the situations malicious, and nature is immersed in a marvellous light which is furthermore enriched by numerous surimpressions, the equivalent of the old image-appearances. We have complete liberty not only regarding the aims, but also their realisation.
—Anonymous