Les sept péchés capitaux (1962)

Seven directors each dramatize one of the seven deadly sins in a short film. In "Anger," a domestic argument over a fly in the Sunday soup escalates into nuclear war. In "Sloth," a movie ... See full summary »

Directors:

Philippe de Broca, Claude Chabrol,

Writers:

Daniel Boulanger (dialogue), Daniel Boulanger (screenplay),

Stars:

Danièle Barraud, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Marie-José Nat

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Danièle Barraud	...	Suzon, prostitute
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Raymond (segment "Avarice, L'")
Jacques Charrier	...	Antoine (segment "Avarice, L'")
Claude Rich	...	Armand (segment "Avarice, L'")
Sacha Briquet	...	Harry (segment "Avarice, L'")
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	Arthur (segment "Avarice, L'")
Dany Saval	...	Rosette (segment "Envie, L'")
Claude Brasseur	...	Riri (segment "Envie, L'")
Geneviève Casile	...	Rita Gerly (segment "Envie, L'")
Jean Murat	...	Duchemin (segment "Envie. L'")
Jacques Monod	...	M. Jasmin (segment "Envie, L'")
Georges Wilson	...	Valentin (segment "Gourmandise, La")
Marcelle Arnold	...	L'épouse (segment "Gourmandise, La")
Paul Préboist	...	Postman (segment "Gourmandise, La")
Magdeleine Bérubet	...	La belle-mère (segment "Gourmandise, La")

Storyline

Seven directors each dramatize one of the seven deadly sins in a short film. In "Anger," a domestic argument over a fly in the Sunday soup escalates into nuclear war. In "Sloth," a movie star would rather pay someone to tie his shoe than bend over to do it himself, and he can't be bothered to accept a starlet's sexual favors. In "Gluttony," a peasant family on its way to the funeral of a relative who died from indigestion stops regularly to eat and drink en route, arriving in time to eat some more. In "Greed," a high-class prostitute refunds the price of a cadet's lottery ticket. In "Pride," an unfaithful wife finds reason to reform. And so on through lust and envy.

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Plot Keywords:

seven deadly sins | omnibus | french new wave | anthology

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

French

Release Date:

7 March 1962 (France)

Also Known As:

Seven Capital Sins

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Films Gibé, Franco London Films, Titanus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

A real treat for Francophiles

Entertaining film-á-sketch by different directors illustrating the seven more-fun-than-deadly sins in modern contexts. In turns glib, ironic, farcical, wry, witty, stylish, sexy and sophisticated, they're all watchable. In fact, even the least of them - it's difficult to say which that is - is downright impressive and full of good things - interesting simply for being French. Some are straightforward tales, others run like mini-features leaving you wanting more.

Sylvain Dhomme and Eugene Ionesco start off with a surreal account of Anger in which a fly in the soup leads to the end of the world. Edouard Molinaro delivers a chic, languid story of a maid and a movie star in Envy that may be the finest of all. Philippe de Broca's tale of Gluttony is a gently Tatiesque farcical interlude. Popular winner though, and most amusing on the whole, has to be Godard's piece on Sloth - filmed with the same panache as Breathless, it has Eddie Constantine wearily playing himself getting picked up by a chick and taken home; she's soon walking around in the buff but he's too lazy (or depressed, or cool) to get undressed. Lust, by Jacques Demy (doing Truffaut/Doinel) has Jean-Louis Trintignant and friend imagining scenes from Bosch in a café. Lots of nudity here. Roger Vadim does a classy piece on two-way adultery in Pride, dripping with sophisticated images. In Chabrol's lengthier effort to finish off (Avarice), a prostitute oversells herself to a bunch of soldiers and so becomes the prize in their lottery - a good mix of style, smut and comedy.

Quality ideas and film-making, most of it beautifully shot. Not greatness, just all-round artistry.