Pimeä kuilu

Original title: La décade prodigieuse

19711971
K-16K-16
1h 50m

IMDb RATING

6.1/10

895

YOUR RATING

Orson Welles, Anthony Perkins, Marlène Jobert, and Michel Piccoli in Pimeä kuilu (1971)

Mystery Drama

Anthony Perkins, a young sculptor with a weird penchant for waking up in strange hotels with his memory wiped clean and bloodied hands, invites a former professor (Michel Piccoli) to the Gat... Read allAnthony Perkins, a young sculptor with a weird penchant for waking up in strange hotels with his memory wiped clean and bloodied hands, invites a former professor (Michel Piccoli) to the Gatsby-like provincial manor presided over by his powerful tycoon father (Orson Welles). Welc... Read allAnthony Perkins, a young sculptor with a weird penchant for waking up in strange hotels with his memory wiped clean and bloodied hands, invites a former professor (Michel Piccoli) to the Gatsby-like provincial manor presided over by his powerful tycoon father (Orson Welles). Welcomed by Welles' young wife (Marlene Jobert), Piccoli soon finds a nest of rats beneath the... Read all

IMDb RATING

6.1/10

895

YOUR RATING

Director
- Claude Chabrol
Writers
- Frederic Dannay(based on the novel by)
- Manfred Lee(based on the novel by)
- Paul Gégauff(dialogue)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Photos46

Orson Welles and Marlène Jobert in Pimeä kuilu (1971)

Orson Welles, Stéphane Audran, Romy Schneider, Michel Bouquet, Jacqueline Sassard, and Jean Yanne in Naarashirvet (1968)

Orson Welles, Anthony Perkins, and Marlène Jobert in Pimeä kuilu (1971)

Trivia
Claude Chabrol announced this project several times in the 1960s, always naming Orson Welles for the role of Theo Van Horn, but at various times mentioning Tom Courtenay and Catherine Deneuve (amongst several others) for the roles finally taken by Anthony Perkins and Marlène Jobert. It was always the unavailability of Welles which led to the several postponements of the filming, and the re-casting of the other leads. When asked why he did not simply hire another actor to play Theo, Chabrol replied, "Only Orson Welles can play God."

Quotes
Paul Regis: There is no room for gods like you among men.

Soundtracks
Pour Moi, mon Chagrin
Music by Dominique Zardi
Lyrics by Dominique Zardi
Performed by Dominique Zardi

User reviews10

Review

Featured review

8/10

The Crime of the Ten Commandments

The tormented and unstable young sculptor Charles Van Horn (Anthony Perkins) summons his old family friend Paul Regis (Michel Piccoli) in Paris and tells him that he has weird nightmares followed by amnesia, and last time he had awaked with his hands full of blood. Paul and Charles travel to the countryside to the manor of Charles' stepfather, the millionaire Théo Van Horn (Orson Welles) that is married with the young Hélène Van Horn (Marlène Jobert). Paul is welcomed by the family and along the days, he learns that Charles and Hélène had a love affair and Charles wrote love letters to Hélène. One day, Théo gave a party for two hundred people and the letters were stole. Now they are blackmailed by the thief that demands a large amount to return the letters and Paul helps Hélène to pay the blackmailer. When the extortionist requests more money, Charles and Hélène forge a burglary, but the plan does not work well ending in a tragedy.

"La Décade Prodigieuse" a.k.a. "Ten Days' Wonder" is a slow-paced dramatic thriller by Claude Chabrol. The story based on the Ten Commandments is very well acted but unfortunately it is not difficult to foresee the twist since the number of characters is only five. This DVD has not been released in Brazil and I have just watched a DVD from Pathfinder Home Entertainment. Unfortunately there are no subtitles and in some moments it is very difficult for a non-native in English understand the pronunciation of Orson Welles. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

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