The Nun and the Devil
Encyclopedia
The Nun and the Devil, or Le Monache di Sant'Arcangelo in the original Italian, is an erotic 1973 French/ Italian nunsploitation
film directed by
Domenico Paolella. It is also known as: Sisters of Satan (UK) and The Nuns of Saint Archangel (US). The action, based on a true story, is set in the 16th century at the convent of Sant Arcangelo, near Naples, then under Spanish rule.
Anne Heywood
) as she attempts, by any means possible, to succeed to the position of the dying Mother Superior. The nuns struggle with their vows of celibacy, some inclining to lesbianism whilst others invite male lovers secretly into their cells. Meanwhile a corrupt Church hopes to benefit from an aristocratic donation to the Convent, before launching an inquisition into the lubricious and corrupt activities of the inmates of the Convent. There then follow graphic scenes of torture as miscreant nuns are stripped naked and tortured with a variety of devices in order to elicit a confession of their misdemanours. The film ends with a resonant condemnation of the power hungry and corrupt Church by the Sister Julia after she has been found guilty and compelled to take poison to end her life.
The story is based on true events at the Convent of Sant Arcangelo di Baiano at Naples
in the 16th century.
has sampled the English-language dub of the film extensively in songs such as "And This Is What the Devil Does" and "Kooler Than Jesus".
Nunsploitation
Nunsploitation is a subgenre of exploitation film which had its peak in Europe in the 1970s. These films typically involve Christian nuns living in convents during the Middle Ages. The main conflict of the story is usually of a religious or sexual nature, such as religious oppression or sexual...
film directed by
Domenico Paolella. It is also known as: Sisters of Satan (UK) and The Nuns of Saint Archangel (US). The action, based on a true story, is set in the 16th century at the convent of Sant Arcangelo, near Naples, then under Spanish rule.
Plot
The story involves the power struggles and sexual intrigues of a group of good-looking nuns at the Sant Arcangelo Convent and in particular the machinations of Sister Julia (played by former Miss Great BritainMiss Great Britain
Miss Great Britain is a female beauty contest currently held in London. Between 1956 and 1989, it was held in the seaside resort of Morecambe. It is one of the oldest of its kind in the country, with the first edition held in 1945...
Anne Heywood
Anne Heywood
Anne Heywood is a British film actress. Born as Violet Pretty in Handsworth, Birmingham, England, she won the Miss Great Britain title under her real name in 1950,...
) as she attempts, by any means possible, to succeed to the position of the dying Mother Superior. The nuns struggle with their vows of celibacy, some inclining to lesbianism whilst others invite male lovers secretly into their cells. Meanwhile a corrupt Church hopes to benefit from an aristocratic donation to the Convent, before launching an inquisition into the lubricious and corrupt activities of the inmates of the Convent. There then follow graphic scenes of torture as miscreant nuns are stripped naked and tortured with a variety of devices in order to elicit a confession of their misdemanours. The film ends with a resonant condemnation of the power hungry and corrupt Church by the Sister Julia after she has been found guilty and compelled to take poison to end her life.
The story is based on true events at the Convent of Sant Arcangelo di Baiano at Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in the 16th century.
In popular culture
The electro-industrial band My Life with the Thrill Kill KultMy Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult is an American electronic industrial rock band originally based out of Chicago, Illinois.-History:...
has sampled the English-language dub of the film extensively in songs such as "And This Is What the Devil Does" and "Kooler Than Jesus".