What’s it about?

A priest in 17th Century France is accused of witchcraft after being so hot that he drives a nun insane.

What’d we think?

Much has been written about Ken Russell’s The Devils since it’s release in 1971, and it’s unlikely that there’s much I can say that hasn’t already been said. It’s as bonkers and as horny as you’ve probably heard, while being equally thoughtful and contemplative. The violence and sexual content is obviously a key talking point, but it’s interesting to note how comparatively tame it seems by modern standards – don’t get me wrong, this is still an incredibly horny and frequently disturbing movie, but the hype surrounding its explicit content risks drowning out any discussion about the themes it touches upon – morality and one’s individual relationship with God, the role of shame and repression in marginalising women in history, and how easily institutions can scapegoat those who oppose them.

Also Oliver Reed throws a crocodile out of a window in the first 20 minutes, and it just gets more bonkers from there.

It’s a sumptuous work of art to absorb, with the sets and production design being worth their own discussion. The central set for Loudun took 3 months to build, and the sterile white-tiled interiors of the convent are a special kind of surreal. Oliver Reed as Urbain Grandier and Vanessa Redgrave as Sister Jeanne hold absolutely nothing back, sending their performances soaring like a crocodile being thrown out of a window.

Unfairly maligned as exploitative, critical re-evaluation on it’s own merits can only be undertaken by the individual, so any review is just a reflection of the viewer. Oliver Reed throws a crocodile out of a window though, so it’s a 10 from me.