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:

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

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Taglines:

Pasolini - Sacred and Profane

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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 the mother superior seduces the deaf/mute boy, the boy is sleeping in a garden growing tomatoes. Tomatoes are a New World crop and would not be brought to Italy for nearly two centuries.

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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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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

Version of Virgin Territory (2007)

User Reviews

The first part of the trilogy of life.

After adapting "Gospel according to Saint-Matthews" as no one had done before (and after ) him ,in a drastically anti-Hollywood style ("greatest story ever told" and the Italian's opus are worlds apart),Pasolini brushed away the cobwebs from Greek myths such as "Oedipe" and "Medea".Then he began his trilogy of life which would also encompass "the Canterbury tales" and "fiore della mille e una notte".

"Il decameron" is the first and it created the surprise in 1971:no one had been as bawdy as Pasolini at the time (and I wonder if someone had since).This is a movie made up of little sketches ,all adapted from

Boccacio and they respect the original stories (notably the" nightingale" segment)Probably the funniest of the trilogy,and the happiest -both "Canterbury" and "mille e una" feature some dark scenes :a gay is burned alive in the former,an adolescent's murdered in the latter.

That said,"Il decameron" and the two other parts are not for all tastes:bawdiness,vulgarity and scatology may repel some.