The Decameron (1971)

An adaptation of nine stories from Boccaccio's "Decameron".

Director:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writers:

Giovanni Boccaccio (novel) (as G. Boccaccio), Pier Paolo Pasolini

Stars:

Franco Citti, Ninetto Davoli, Jovan Jovanovic

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Franco Citti	...	Ciappelletto
Ninetto Davoli	...	Andreuccio of Perugia
Jovan Jovanovic	...	Rustico (scenes deleted)
Vincenzo Amato	...	Masetto of Lamporecchio
Angela Luce	...	Peronella
Giuseppe Zigaina	...	Monk
Maria Gabriella Maione	...	(as Gabriella Frankel)
Vincenzo Cristo
Pier Paolo Pasolini	...	Allievo di Giotto (as P.P. Pasolini)
Giorgio Iovine
Salvatore Bilardo
Vincenzo Ferrigno	...	Giannello
Luigi Seraponte
Antonio Diddio
Mirella Catanesi

Storyline

An adaptation of nine stories from Bocaccio's "Decameron": **** Segment 1: A young man from Perugia is swindled twice in Naples, but ends up rich; **** Segment 2: A man poses as a deaf-mute in a convent of curious nuns; **** Segment 3: A woman must hide her lover when her husband comes home early; **** Segment 4: A scoundrel fools a priest on his deathbed; **** Segment 5: Three brothers take revenge on their sister's lover; **** Segment 6: A young girl sleeps on the roof to meet her boyfriend at night; **** Segment 7: A group of painters wait for inspiration; **** Segment 8: A crafty priest attempts to seduce his friend's wife; **** Segment 9: Two friends make a pact to find out what happens after death.

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Plot Keywords:

female pubic hair | male pubic hair | blow job | strong sexual content | life after death | 

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Taglines:

The World's First and Still the Greatest Erotic Masterpiece. Now brought to the screen with all the genius of Pier Paolo Pasolini

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | History | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sensuality, and for some language

Details

Country:

Italy France West Germany

Language:

Italian Neapolitan

Release Date:

16 September 1971 (Italy)

Also Known As:

The Decameron

Filming Locations:

Amalfi, Salerno, Campania, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Produzioni Europee Associate (PEA), Les Productions Artistes Associés, Artemis Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Italian censorship visa # 10-7-1971.

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Goofs

When Caterina sleeps with Riccardo, a tan line left by a bikini top can be seen on her back. However the bikini was not in use in 14th century Italy. Riccardo's body also shows tan lines left by wearing a pair of bathing trunks. Tan lines are also visible on the sinners cast into Hell in the dream sequence.

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Quotes

Allievo di Giotto: Why create a work of art when dreaming about it is so much sweeter?

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Connections

Followed by The Canterbury Tales (1972)

User Reviews

Amusing Medieval Adventures

This film is a portmanteau film based on the famous 14th Century Italian story collection "The Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio. The book deals with ten people telling a story each every day for ten days, but Pier Paolo Pasolini (for obvious reasons) chooses merely nine stories for his film. Most of the stories deal with sex or deception (usually both).

Like all portmanteau films, some stories are better than others, but most of the stories in this film are so short that, if you don't enjoy one story, you don't have to wait long for the next one.

The film depicts a world filled with dirt and vulgarity but also full of life. Pasolini used a lot of ordinary people in his films and here we see many of the actors are not conventionally attractive (for example many have bad, or missing, teeth). Pasolini appears in the film as a pupil of the painter Giotto who is assigned to paint a mural on the wall of a church.

I found this film funny, charming and very entertaining. Definitely for adults though, there is quite a lot of sex and nudity on display here.

This was the first film in Pasolini's so-called "Trilogy of Life" and was followed by "The Canterbury Tales" and "The Arabian Nights".