Benedetta

Sex and violence are par for the course for a Paul Verhoeven film, but, one rarely expects it in such copious amounts in a film based on a true story account of a 17th century Catholic nun, Benedetta Carlini. The key word is 'based' for Verhoeven and co-writer David Birke have freely adapted Judith Brown's non-fiction book.

Set in Tuscany, Benedetta is a tale of a young Italian woman (the movie is in French) who claimed to have had vivid visions of Jesus from an early age. Once in a Convent in Pescia, Benedetta (played as an adult by a stout Virginie Efira) rises to the rank of Abbess much to the dismay of the former Mother Superior, Felicita (an excellent Charlotte Rampling). Her manifestations continue and become more graphic even reaching the point of stigmata and speaking in tongues. A rumored affair with a fellow nun, Bartolomea (a mischievous Daphné Patakia) brings suspicion, scorn and charges of heresy in the form of Alfonso (Lambert Wilson; relishing his evil side) who comes from Florence to prosecute the case. The plague is raging and Verhoeven's film boils into a bloodier, sexier take on Ken Russell's THE DEVILS. Something of a MARK OF THE DEVIL for the Cannes crowd.

And yet, Verhoeven has created a work of subversive, yet profound, religiousness. Benedetta's devotion to the lord is never in doubt Her fervor, inspired and deeply felt even when not in keeping with the letter of scripture. Only a filmmaker as fervid as his subject could create at once something so sacrilegious while also remaining true to the essence of the character. There is no question that Verhoeven can never be accused of having good taste (and there are times here where if he pulled back even a little, it would have only improved the work), but, sometimes that seeming contradiction is what can create such stirring art. BENEDETTA is a direct challenge to believers and non-believers alike.