The Devils

Name: The Devils
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Released: July 16, 1971
Duration: 111 min
Rating: 49
Cast: Brian Murphy, Christopher Logue, Dudley Sutton, Gemma Jones, Georgina Hale

1971

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

See All

7.3

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.3	Your Score
7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Movie Details & Credits

Dear International | Release Date: July 16, 1971 | X

Starring: Brian Murphy, Christopher Logue, Dudley Sutton, Gemma Jones, Georgina Hale, Max Adrian, Michael Gothard, Murray Melvin, Oliver Reed, Vanessa Redgrave

Summary: In 17th-century France, Father Urbain Grandier seeks to protect the city of Loudun from the corrupt establishment of Cardinal Richelieu. Hysteria occurs within the city when he is accused of witchcraft by a sexually repressed nun.

Director: Ken Russell

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History

Rating: X

Runtime: 111 min

See All Details and Credits

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

IndieWire Jude Dry

The 1971 epic offers a stylish and scathing parable about the dangerous ways that the powerful can exploit religious zeal to stay that way. Read full review

The Guardian Philip French

There is much to irritate in the film, but it's bold, individual and a landmark in British cinema, with outstanding performances. Read full review

Katie Rife

Russell’s penchant for aesthetic excess is thoroughly indulged, as the director stages grotesque human tableaus straight out of Hieronymus Bosch over Derek Jarman’s intricately detailed sets. The result gives the story a sort of wanton, overripe feel, with such ostensibly austere environments as a cloistered convent about to explode with repressed sensuality. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

As if the story alone weren’t bizarre enough, Russell has spared nothing in hyping the historic events by stressing the grisly at the expense of dramatic unity. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

No matter how thickly Russell piles on the masturbating nuns, tortured priests and dissolute dauphins, there's no getting round the fact that it's all more redolent of a camp revue than a cathartic vision. Derek Jarman's sets, however, still look terrific. Read full review

Empire Jake Hamilton

Whatever the moral perspective, it keeps you gripped right to the end. Read full review

Roger Ebert

All the events and persons depicted in The Devils are intended to be confused with actual events and persons. How do I know? Ken Russell tells me so. Read full review

SEE ALL 11 REVIEWS

Write a Review

Negative:

User Reviews

Trailesque

Apr 13, 2022

As extreme, disturbing, and blasphemous a film as has ever been made, the Devils does deserve its place in cinematic history. It is like Hieronymous Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights in cinematic form. But is it an enjoyable film to watch? Well . . . it certainly deserves respect forAs extreme, disturbing, and blasphemous a film as has ever been made, the Devils does deserve its place in cinematic history. It is like Hieronymous Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights in cinematic form. But is it an enjoyable film to watch? Well . . . it certainly deserves respect for going over the top and then some, and for Jarman's sets, Davies's music, Shirley Russell's costumes, Watkin's cinematography, and the many fine performances. Often the shocking stuff seems to be there primarily to shock and grab you by the collar, et cetera. I am not at all sure I want to sit through it again - but it is unique and unforgettable, that is for sure!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Apr 5, 2021

The scope and ambition are of a spectacular level, I have no complaints about it.
The ending with Gemma Jones walking on the ruins of the city is one of the best I've seen because of how powerful it feels.
However, my problem lies in how it's necessary to focus on the ideology of the timeThe scope and ambition are of a spectacular level, I have no complaints about it.
The ending with Gemma Jones walking on the ruins of the city is one of the best I've seen because of how powerful it feels.

However, my problem lies in how it's necessary to focus on the ideology of the time of its release in order to understand why it was such a provocative story.
Because The Devils is a very captivating film, but it's also one that forces that element too much, almost forcing itself to feel transgressive just because the sake of it. And as necessary as it was in its time to break those restrictions, today I cannot ignore that this story has a compulsion to make an impact, to shock rather than to disclose something more significant.

I recommend it because technically it fascinated me.
Its imperfect and somewhat flawed writing is inconvenient, but I can be flexible.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 2 REVIEWS