The Devils (1971)

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Ken Russell (screenplay)
John Whiting (play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 July 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

The Devils is not a film for everyone . . .

Plot:

This film focuses on an outspoken priest and a group of sexually repressed nuns in 17th-century France.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | France | Cardinal Richelieu | Warlock | Mother Superior

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Vanessa Redgrave	...	Sister Jeanne
Oliver Reed	...	Urbain Grandier
Dudley Sutton	...	Baron De Laubardemont
Max Adrian	...	Ibert
Gemma Jones	...	Madeleine
Murray Melvin	...	Mignon
Michael Gothard	...	Father Barre
Georgina Hale	...	Philippe
Brian Murphy	...	Adam
Christopher Logue	...	Cardinal Richelieu
Graham Armitage	...	Louis XIII
John Woodvine	...	Trincant
Andrew Faulds	...	Rangier
Kenneth Colley	...	Legrand
Judith Paris	...	Sister Judith
Catherine Willmer	...	Sister Catherine
Iza Teller	...	Sister Iza
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Imogen Claire	...	Nun (uncredited)
Selina Gilbert	...	Nun (uncredited)
Cheryl Grunwald	...	Cameo (uncredited)
Alex 'Alien' Russell	...	(uncredited)
Doremy Vernon	...	Nun (uncredited)

Directed by
Ken Russell

Writing credits
Ken Russell		(screenplay)
John Whiting		play and
Aldous Huxley		novel "The Devils of Loudon"

Produced by
Roy Baird	....	associate producer
Ken Russell	....	producer
Robert H. Solo	....	producer

Original Music by
Peter Maxwell Davies

Cinematography by
David Watkin

Film Editing by
Michael Bradsell

Production Design by
Derek Jarman

Art Direction by
Robert Cartwright

Costume Design by
Shirley Russell

Makeup Department
Ramon Gow	....	hair stylist
Charles E. Parker	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Graham Ford	....	unit manager
Neville C. Thompson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ted Morley	....	assistant director
Nicolas Hippisley-Coxe	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Terry Apsey	....	construction manager
George Ball	....	property manager
Derek Jarman	....	set designer
Alan Tomkins	....	assistant art director
Ian Whittaker	....	set dresser
Bryn Siddall	....	property buyer (uncredited)
Tim Wake	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound mixer
Terry Rawlings	....	dubbing editor
Brian Simmons	....	sound recordist
Rowland Fowles	....	boom operator (uncredited)
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Richardson	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Ewens	....	assistant camera
John Swan	....	electrical supervisor
Ronnie Taylor	....	camera operator
Robin Browne	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tiny Nicholls	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Stuart Baird	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Peter Maxwell Davies	....	conductor
David Munrow	....	period music arranger and director

Other crew
Harry Benn	....	production controller
Terry Gilbert	....	choreographer
Ann Skinner	....	continuity
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Russo Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1971) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

111 min | UK:117 min (restored version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Italy:VM18 (re-rated) | Finland:(Banned) (1985) (video release) | Finland:(Banned) (1971) (theatrical release) | Finland:K-18 (2002) (self applied) | France:-18 | Australia:M (video rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Ireland:(Banned) | Italy:(Banned) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (edited for re-rating) (1979) | USA:X (original rating) | UK:X (theatrical rating, heavily cut) | UK:18 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Bamburgh Beach, Bamburgh, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Russo Productions

Trivia:

The role of Sister Jeanne was originally offered to Glenda Jackson, who turned it down because she was tired of playing sexually neurotic leads in Ken Russell movies.

Goofs:

Continuity: Early in the movie when Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed) is seen grooming his hair. It is a close-up of him supposedly looking at a mirror in the upper left hand corner of the screen, behind the viewer. Obviously there is no mirror as he consistently misses combing the more egregiously messed up parts of his hair and instead repeatedly combs the portions that are already groomed. In fact when he is done, his hair is still messed up.

Quotes:

Ibert:No blood when the tongue was pricked a true sign of the devil .

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hell on Earth (2002) (TV)

One of the top ten films of the Seventies

This film never got the credit it deserved. It's both a savage socio-political critique in the vein of Millers "The Crucible" and a crazed excerise in Grand Guignol. Only Russell could have pulled this one out. Also features Oliver Reed in one his greatest roles. Father Grandier was Reeds Maximus.