''Le Diable et les Dix Commandements'' ( en, The Devil and the Ten Commandments) is a French film from 1962 directed by

Julien Duvivier Julien Duvivier (; 8 October 1896 – 29 October 1967) was a French film director and screenwriter. He was prominent in French cinema in the years 1930–1960. Amongst his most original films, chiefly notable are ''La Bandera (film), La Bandera'', ...

that consists of seven sketches (eight in the versions shown in Germany and Japan) played by an ensemble cast that includes Michel Simon, Micheline Presle,

Françoise Arnoul Françoise Arnoul (born Françoise Annette Marie Mathilde Gautsch; 3 June 1931 – 20 July 2021) was a French actress, who achieved popularity during the 1950s. Early life Born in Constantine, French Algeria, as the daughter of stage ac ...

, Mel Ferrer, Charles Aznavour,

Lino Ventura Angiolino Giuseppe Pasquale Ventura (14 July 1919 – 22 October 1987), known as Lino Ventura, was an Italian actor who grew up in France and starred in many French films. Born in Italy, he was raised in Paris by his mother. After a first caree ...

, Fernandel,

Alain Delon Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; born 8 November 1935) is a French actor and filmmaker. He was one of Europe's most prominent actors and screen sex symbols in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Actor for h ...

, Danielle Darrieux,

Jean-Claude Brialy Jean-Claude Brialy (30 March 1933 – 30 May 2007) was a French actor and film director. Early life Brialy was born in Aumale (now Sour El-Ghozlane), French Algeria, where his father was stationed with the French Army. Brialy moved to mainland ...

, and Louis de Funès. The film contrasts a series of human failings with the ever-present hope of redemption and a snake (voiced by Claude Rich) adds the Devil's comments.

Plot

Episode 1 Jérôme, the old handyman at a convent, is warned that he will lose his job if he continues to take the name of the Lord in vain, but is saved when the visiting bishop proves to be an old school friend. Episode 2 To obtain a beautiful necklace, Françoise succumbs to the wealthy Philip, husband of her friend Micheline. Her husband Georges finds the necklace she had hidden and gives it to Micheline after a happy afternoon together. Episode 3 Denis, a Jesuit novice, leaves the order to avenge his sister's suicide, which was provoked by Garigny, who seduced her into prostitution and drug addiction. The police tell him that Garigny, if convicted for pimping and dealing, would only get a few years. He arranges to confront Garigny alone and unarmed, but in fact has a concealed shotgun. When he says he is leaving to inform the police, Garigny grabs the gun and shoots him dead. In fact Denis had already alerted the police, who arrest Garigny for murder. Episode 4 A stranger arrives at an isolated farm, saying that he is God. He gets the grandfather, who had pretended to be paralysed, out of his chair and walking, and then eases the last moments of the dying grandmother. On his way out, he is found by the psychiatric nurses who have been looking for him. Episode 5 Pierre, a medical student who is nearly 21, has a tense relationship with his taciturn father Marcel and shrewish mother Germaine. Out of the blue, Marcel tells him his real mother was Clarisse, now a noted stage actress. When he visits Clarisse after a rehearsal, she first tries to seduce the handsome young stranger and then, without ceasing to be flirtatious, retreats into vagueness once she is told the truth. Realising that she is not worth his time, Pierre resolves to be a good son to the couple who have brought him up. Episode 6 Having lost interest in his job as a bank cashier, Didier is told to leave at the end of the week. When a gunman appears at his position, he fills the man's suitcase with notes and coins. He then tracks down the thief, breaks into his apartment, and recovers the case. The thief then tracks him down and, after much argument, the two agree to share the loot. On opening the case, it contains bread, wine, and a sausage. The tramp who had substituted his lunch for the money is arrested for the theft. Episode 7 From Episode 1, Jérôme and the bishop are enjoying a well-lubricated lunch, after which the bishop has difficulty in remembering what are the Ten Commandments.

Cast

1st episode

* Michel Simon : Jérôme Chambard * Lucien Baroux : Monsignor Trousselier *

Claude Nollier Claude Nollier (born Yvette Emilie Maria Louise Nollier), French actress, was born on 12 December 1919 in Paris, and died 12 February 2009 in Boulogne-Billancourt. Biography A theatre actress, she joined the Comédie Française in 1946 to 1951. ...

: Mother Superior *

Albert Michel Albert Michel (1909–1981) was a French stage, film and television actor.Paietta p.40 Selected filmography * ''Je chante'' (1938) - Un laitier (uncredited) * ''Ne bougez plus'' (1941) - Clanpinet * ''Chèque au porteur'' (1941) * ''Fièvres'' ( ...

: vegetable seller * Nina Myral : a nun (uncredited)

2nd episode

* Micheline Presle : Micheline Allan *

: Françoise Beaufort * Mel Ferrer : Philip Allan * Claude Dauphin : Georges Beaufort *

Marcel Dalio Marcel Dalio (born Marcel Benoit Blauschild; 23 November 1899 in Paris – 18 November 1983) was a French movie actor. He had major roles in two films directed by Jean Renoir, ''La Grande Illusion'' (1937) and ''The Rules of the Game'' (1939). ...

: jeweller (uncredited) * Claude Piéplu : security guard (uncredited) * Marie-France Pisier : girl at a dance (uncredited)

3rd episode

* Charles Aznavour : Denis Mayeux *

: Garigny, the pimp * Maurice Biraud : Louis, police inspector * Maurice Teynac : Father Superior * Clément Harari : Garigny's muscle

4th episode

* Fernandel : the madman * Germaine Kerjean : grandmother * Gaston Modot : grandfather * René Clermont : father

5th episode

: Pierre Messager * Danielle Darrieux : Clarisse Ardant * Madeleine Robinson : Germaine Messager * Georges Wilson : Marcel Messager * Roland Armontel : Mercier *

Hubert Noël Hubert Noël (1924–1987) was a French film actor.McFarlane p.160 Partial filmography * '' Forbidden to the Public'' (1949) - Bernard * ''Dear Caroline'' (1951) - L'ami de Sallanches (uncredited) * ''Monsieur Fabre'' (1951) - Le fiancé d'Antoni ...

: Clarisse's lover *

Dominique Paturel Dominique Paturel (3 April 1931 – 28 February 2022) was a French actor. Early life Paturel was born on 3 April 1931 in Le Havre and was educated at the Institution Saint-Joseph. He moved to Paris in 1951, and he graduated from the École de l ...

: actor *

Gaby Basset Gaby Basset (29 March 1902 Varennes-Saint-Sauveur, Saône-et-Loire, France – 7 October 2001 Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France) was a French film actress.Goble p.37 Selected filmography * '' Everybody Wins'' (1930) - Simone * ''Le poign ...

: Clarisse's dresser * Raoul Marco : actor

6th episode

: Didier Marin, the bank clerk * Louis de Funès : Antoine Vaillant, the bank raider *

Noël Roquevert Noël Roquevert (born Noël Louis Raymond Bénévent; 18 December 1892 – 6 November 1973) was a French stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1932 and 1972. Roquevert was born in Doué-la-Fontaine and was married ...

: police inspector

7th épisode

* Michel Simon : Jérôme Chambard * Lucien Baroux : Monsignor Trousselier

Reception

According to the US critic Bosley Crowther, only one of the seven episodes tickled him, that in which Louis de Funès and Jean-Claude Brialy star.

References

External links

* *
Der Teufel und die zehn Gebote
at the defunes.de * Bosley Crowther
''Le Diable et les Dix Commandements''
The New York Times, October 15, 1963 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Diable Et Les Dix Commandements 1962 films 1962 comedy-drama films French comedy-drama films 1960s French-language films French anthology films French black-and-white films Films directed by Julien Duvivier Fiction about God Films shot in Bruges Ten Commandments The Devil in film Films with screenplays by Michel Audiard 1960s French films