The Seven Deadly Sins (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:

Marie-José Nat, Dominique Paturel, Danièle Barraud

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	...	Monsieur Jasmin (segment "Envie, L'")
Georges Wilson	...	Valentin (segment "Gourmandise, La")
Marcelle Arnold	...	L'épouse de Valentin (segment "Gourmandise, La")
Paul Préboist	...	Alphonse - le facteur (segment "Gourmandise, La")
Magdeleine Bérubet	...	Nénesse - 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 | french new wave | omnibus | anthology | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

France Italy

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Last film of Magdeleine Bérubet.

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Connections

Referenced in Les échos du cinéma: Episode #1.21 (1961)

User Reviews

Snapshot of French cinema in early 60's

This is a blend of the bad, commercial work of journeymen French directors and the exciting new wave of Godard, Chabrol and Demy. Anger is the first sin to be treated, and Sylvain Dhomme does a terrible job with this silly story of flies in the soup provoking world catastrophe. Molinaro's version of Envy is no better. Philippe de Broca gets a fine hammy performance from Georges Wilson in Gluttony; some great satire of French country eating habits here. Jacques Demy is next with Lust, and he loses steam with a static visual style (none of the grace of Lola) and stiff acting. We can only surmise what he could have done with a better script.

Godard has the best segment, he's got Eddy Constantine playing a loafer for a change, not his Lemmy Caution-like nerveless violence. The cheesy Hawaiian music suits the story well. It's more verite than we are used to from Godard. After Sloth, we get Pride from Roger Vadim, and the banality of the story is relieved by some good acting by Sami Frey and Marina Vlady. I always thought it was a shame Vlady wasn't more popular; she had a gorgeous sleek cat's face and could do comedy. Chabrol is last with Greed, and he shows the usual facility and empty social commentary we have come to expect from him.