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 & 3 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	...	Una madonna (as Gabriella Frankel)
Vincenzo Cristo
Pier Paolo Pasolini	...	Allievo di Giotto (as P.P. Pasolini)
Giorgio Iovine	...	Lizio da Valbona
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:

blow job | adult humor | male full frontal nudity | female full frontal nudity | erotica | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first film in Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Trilogy of Life", continuing with The Canterbury Tales (1972) and concluding with Arabian Nights (1974).

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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

The Madonna: This wine is bliss for us to piss!

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Alternate Versions

Although the cinema version was intact the 1988 UK Warner video was cut by 22 secs by the BBFC to remove shots of naked genitals during the bedroom sex scene with the nun. The cuts were fully restored in the 2001 BFI DVD release.

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Connections

Referenced in All Screwed Up (1974)

User Reviews

Lust for Life

Pasolini freely adapts ten or so episodes from Boccaccio's fourteenth century collection of hundred short stories. He interweaves the tales of happy or tragic lovers, naughty nuns and lusty priests, naive husbands and cheating but quick-witted wives, inept grave robbers, and a young gardener who got more than he had bargained for, with his own meditations on art, life, death and love. Pasolini himself plays a painter Giotto who observes the characters that inspire him to paint a fresco on the church's wall.

"Decameron" is the first part of Pasolini's "Trilogy Of Life", which continues with adaptations of two other celebrated works of world fiction; "The Canterbury Tales" (1972) and the "Arabian Nights" aka "A Thousand and One Nights" (1974). All these books have been known as distinguished and revered works of literature that belong to the immortal classics. There are probably so many big volumes have been written about them that it would take more than a thousand and one days and nights to read them. They talk about love, death, the meaning of life, and religion but first and most of all – they entertain. At the time they were told and written down, no one would think of them as the future academic references. That's why they are so alive, earthy, coarse, and bold. I have not seen two other Pasolini's films but 'Decameron' captures the original spirit of Boccaccio's tales truthfully and with love, humanity, and perfect sense of the medieval Italy.

The film has a look of a renaissance painting – not only Italian Renaissance (Giotto) but Netherlandish Northern Renaissance - Peter Bruegel and Hieronymus Bosch.

As he often did, Pasolin used in the film the non-professional actors to play the medieval peasants. They had none of the Hollywood glamor or classical features or perfect teeth and smiles– but their faces are interesting, original, and real.

Full of rustic comedy and innocence, earthy humor and lust for life –"Decameron" is one of the most optimistic, and celebrating life films ever made. Its sexuality is straightforward and honest, moving and not insulting. This film, my first Pasolini made me want to see the rest of the trilogy and the rest of his films.

Details

Country:

Italy France West Germany

Language:

Italian Neapolitan

Release Date:

29 October 1971 (France)

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