''The Nun and the Devil'' (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

: ''Le Monache di Sant'Arcangelo'') is an erotic 1973 Italian

nunsploitation Nunsploitation is a subgenre of exploitation film which had its peak in Europe in the 1970s. These films typically involve Christian nuns living in convents during the Middle Ages. Criteria The main conflict of the story is usually of a religio ...

film directed by

Domenico Paolella Domenico Paolella (18 October 1915 - 7 October 2002) was an Italian director, screenwriter and journalist. Born in Foggia, between 1933 and 1935 Paolella won several contests for amateur directors; in the same years he started working as a journa ...

. It is also known as: ''Sisters of Satan'' (UK) and ''The Nuns of Saint Archangel'' (US). The action is set in the 16th century at the convent of Sant Arcangelo, near Naples, then under Spanish rule. The success of the film resulted in another

period drama A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romances, adventure films, and swas ...

/nunsploitation film by Paolella released the same year, ''

Story of a Cloistered Nun ''Story of a Cloistered Nun'' ( it, Storia di una monaca di clausura, released as ''Unholy Convent'' and ''Diary of a Cloistered Nun'') is a 1973 nunsploitation film directed by Domenico Paolella and starring Eleonora Giorgi, Catherine Spaak, Suzy ...

'', an Italian/French/West German co-production starring

Eleonora Giorgi Eleonora Giorgi (born 21 October 1953) is an Italian actress. Biography Giorgi was born in Rome. Her father was of Italian and English origin. Her mother was of Italian and Hungarian origin. She made her film debut in a minor role in Paolo ...

. The opening credits state that the movie is "Based on authentic 16th Century records and a story by Stendhal"—possibly Stendhal's '' L'Abbesse de Castro'' (1832) is meant.

Plot

The story involves the power struggles and sexual intrigues of a group of good-looking nuns at the Sant Arcangelo Convent and in particular the machinations of Sister Julia (played by former

Miss Great Britain Miss Great Britain is Britain's longest running beauty contest held annually in Britain since 1945. Owner and CEO John Singh made history crowning his first winner and to this date only the first black Miss Great Britain 1996. Singer and dancer A ...

Anne Heywood Anne Heywood (born 11 December 1931) is a British retired film actress, who is best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in ''The Fox''. Early life and career Born as Violet Joan Pretty in 1931 to Harold and Edna E. ( Lowndes) Pre ...

) as she attempts, by any means possible, to succeed to the position of the dying Mother Superior. The nuns struggle with their vows of celibacy, some inclining to lesbianism whilst others invite male lovers secretly into their cells. Meanwhile, a corrupt church hopes to benefit from an aristocratic donation to the Convent, before launching an inquisition into the lubricious and corrupt activities of the inmates of the Convent. There then follow graphic scenes of torture as miscreant nuns are stripped naked and tortured with a variety of devices in order to elicit a confession of their misdemeanours. The film ends with a resonant condemnation of the power hungry and corrupt church by Sister Julia after she has been found guilty and compelled to take poison to end her life.

Cast

: Sister Julia *

Luc Merenda Luc Charles Olivier Merenda (born 3 September 1943) is a French film actor. He was one of the most prominent actors of the Italian poliziotteschi genre, working several times with Sergio Martino and Fernando Di Leo. He is of Italian origin thr ...

: Vicar Carafa *

Ornella Muti Ornella Muti (born Francesca Romana Rivelli; 9 March 1955) is an Italian actress. She made her film debut as Francesca Cimarosa in the 1970 film ''La moglie più bella.'' Early life Muti was born in Rome to a Neapolitan journalist father and ...

: Sister Isabella *

Pier Paolo Capponi Pier Paolo Capponi (9 June 1938 – 15 February 2018) was an Italian actor and screenwriter. Life and career Born in Subiaco, after his studies Capponi attended a theater school and later was chosen by director Vittorio De Seta for an import ...

: Don Carlos Ribera *

Martine Brochard Martine Brochard (born 2 April 1944) is a French actress and writer. Life and career Born in Paris, Brochard debuted in 1968 in a minor role in François Truffaut's '' Baisers volés''. In 1970, she moved to Italy, where she became a minor s ...

: Sister Chiara *

Claudia Gravy Claudia Gravy (born 12 May 1945) is a Spanish nationalized actress born as Marie-Claude Perin in Boma, Democratic Republic of the Congo when it was the Belgian Congo. Career Claudia has lived in Madrid since 1965, when she made her debut in the ...

(credited as Claudia Gravi): Sister Carmela *

Maria Cumani Quasimodo Maria Cumani Quasimodo (20 May 1908 - 22 November 1995) was an Italian actress and dancer. Born Maria Cumani in Milan, she studied dance under Jia Ruskaja. In 1936, she became the companion of the poet Salvatore Quasimodo, with whom she had ...

: Sister Lavinia *

Claudio Gora Claudio Gora, '' Emilio Giordana '' (27 July 1913 – 13 March 1998) was an Italian actor and film director. He was particularly prolific, making some 155 appearances in film and television over nearly 60 years (from 1939 to 1997). In the 1950s ...

: Cardinal d'Arezzo *

Duilio Del Prete Duilio Del Prete (25 June 1938 – 2 February 1998) was an Italian actor, dubber and singer-songwriter. Del Prete was born at Cuneo, Piedmont. As a singer-songwriter, he wrote political songs and recorded an album of Jacques Brel's covers; he al ...

: Pietro

Production

The production gets permission to shoot the scenes in a real convent (Fossanova Abbey in Priverno, Latina, Italy) because the religious are not told the plot precisely .

In popular culture

The electro-industrial band

My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult (often shortened to Thrill Kill Kult or TKK) is an American electronic industrial rock band originally based in Chicago and founded by Groovie Mann (born Frankie Nardiello) and Buzz McCoy (born Marston Daley). ...

has sampled the English-language dub of the film extensively in songs such as "And This Is What the Devil Does" and "Kooler Than Jesus".

References

External links

* 1973 films 1973 drama films 1973 LGBT-related films 1970s Italian-language films French LGBT-related films Italian LGBT-related films Lesbian-related films LGBT-related drama films Nunsploitation films Italian films based on actual events Films set in the 16th century Films set in Naples Films directed by Domenico Paolella Films scored by Piero Piccioni 1970s Italian films 1970s French films {{1970s-Italy-film-stub