The Devils (1971)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Aldous Huxley (novel)
Ken Russell (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

16 July 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Horror

Tagline:

Hell holds no surprises for them.

Plot:

Ken Russell's disturbing account of the Spanish Inquisition, focusing on an outspoken priest and a group of sexually repressed nuns in 17th-century France.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | France | Nun | Disturbing | Cardinal Richelieu

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Vanessa Redgrave	...	Sister Jeanne
Oliver Reed	...	Urbain Grandier
Dudley Sutton	...	Baron De Laubardemont
Max Adrian	...	Ibert
Gemma Jones	...	Madeleine
Murray Melvin	...	Mignon
Michael Gothard	...	Father Barre
Georgina Hale	...	Philippe
Brian Murphy	...	Adam
Christopher Logue	...	Cardinal Richelieu
Graham Armitage	...	Louis XIII
John Woodvine	...	Trincant
Andrew Faulds	...	Rangier
Kenneth Colley	...	Legrand
Judith Paris	...	Sister Judith
Catherine Willmer	...	Sister Catherine
Iza Teller	...	Sister Iza
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Imogen Claire	...	Nun (uncredited)
Selina Gilbert	...	Nun (uncredited)
Alex 'Alien' Russell	...	(uncredited)
Doremy Vernon	...	Nun (uncredited)

Directed by
Ken Russell

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Aldous Huxley		novel "The Devils of Loudon"
Ken Russell		writer
John Whiting		play

Produced by
Roy Baird	....	associate producer
Ken Russell	....	producer
Robert H. Solo	....	producer

Original Music by
Peter Maxwell Davies

Cinematography by
David Watkin

Film Editing by
Michael Bradsell

Production Design by
Derek Jarman

Art Direction by
Robert Cartwright

Costume Design by
Shirley Russell

Makeup Department
Ramon Gow	....	hair stylist
Charles E. Parker	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Graham Ford	....	unit manager
Neville C. Thompson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ted Morley	....	assistant director
Nicolas Hippisley-Coxe	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Terry Apsey	....	construction manager
George Ball	....	property manager
Derek Jarman	....	set designer
Alan Tomkins	....	assistant art director
Ian Whittaker	....	set dresser
Bryn Siddall	....	property buyer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound mixer
Terry Rawlings	....	dubbing editor
Brian Simmons	....	sound recordist
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Richardson	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Ewens	....	assistant camera
John Swan	....	electrical supervisor
Ronnie Taylor	....	camera operator
Robin Browne	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tiny Nicholls	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Stuart Baird	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Peter Maxwell Davies	....	conductor
David Munrow	....	period music arranger and director

Other crew
Harry Benn	....	production controller
Terry Gilbert	....	choreographer
Ann Skinner	....	continuity
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Russo Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1971) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Ken Russell's Film of The Devils (UK) (long title)
The Devils of Loudun

Runtime:

111 min | USA:103 min (cut version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Italy:VM18 (re-rated) | Finland:(Banned) (1985) (video release) | Finland:(Banned) (1971) (theatrical release) | Finland:K-18 (2002) (self applied) | France:-18 | Australia:M (video rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Ireland:(Banned) | Italy:(Banned) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (edited for re-rating) (1979) | USA:X (original rating) | UK:X (theatrical rating, heavily cut) | UK:18 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Bamburgh Beach, Bamburgh, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Russo Productions

Trivia:

Subject of an online petition to persuade Warner Bros. to release the movie as a DVD, something the company is reluctant to do, apparently because of its controversial nature.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Judith Paris's character is referred to as Sister Agnes in the film but listed as Sister Judith in the credits.

Quotes:

Barre: [to Sister Jeanne] My dear sister in Christ, I must question you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Caligola (1979)

Ken Russell's little known masterpiece

A few movies are so controversial that the Movie industry does their best to kill them off (see Terry Gilliams' "Brazil"). Such was the case with "The Devils" First, to clear a few things up...this did NOT come from a play, nor was it a novel. It is based on Aldous Huxley's painstakingly researched religious history of the famous Loudun exorcisms during the time of Richelieu. The book may be out of print, but my wife found a copy published in 1952 by Chatto & Windus. There are some more recent publications, but this one is lovely, with an engraving of Bishop Urban Grandier(the main character) dating back to 1627. Huxley actually includes original letters, which still exist, written by the participants of this travesty. Much of the dialogue of the film is directly from Huxley. The vision however is uniquely Russell's. When this movie was originally released, it was given an X rating, not due to sex, or even violence, although there is some of each. The plain fact is that the film in its original form is simply overpowering. The Movie Review board thought so! I was fortunate enough to see the original uncut version, rated X at the local art-house upon its release. This film is a shortened version. While still worthwhile, this film absolutely SCREAMS for a Criterion Collection restoration to its original (brilliant) form.