Skip to main content
Drama Cult Classic

Power, lust, and betrayal simmer behind convent walls in this Italian nunsploitation drama.

THE NUN AND THE DEVIL

In the convent of St. Archangel, there is a struggle for lust & love.

1973 · 1h 40m · R · Drama / Horror · IMDB TMDB

During the 1570s, in the convent of Sant'Arcangelo di Baiano, after the death of the mother superior, a power struggle rages on, as one nun, who comes from a powerful family, is willing to do anything to become the new abbess.

5,471 FilmsIn The Vault
Vault UpdatedDaily
Curated ByHumans
No AlgorithmBullsh*t
Vault Note

From the vault: Where the habit is strictly optional.

Programmer's Pick

If your taste for period drama runs to the wicked and the wickedly undressed, The Nun and the Devil delivers a decadent platter: intrigue, corruption, and enough taboo-breaking to make a bishop blush. Anne Heywood's Machiavellian turn as Sister Julia is matched only by the film’s audacious parade of forbidden love and ecclesiastical excess.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is The Nun and the Devil about?

The Nun and the Devil is a 1973 French-Italian drama-horror film directed by Domenico Paolella about the ruthless struggle for power and forbidden passions among nuns in a 16th-century convent.

Details & Specs
Director
Domenico Paolella
Writers
Tonino Cervi, Domenico Paolella
Release
1973
Runtime
1h 40m
Country
France, Italy
Language
Italian
Genres
Drama, Horror
Also Known As
The Nun and the Devil, St. Arcangelon nunnat, Die Nonne von Verona, Sisters of Satan, As Freiras de Santo Arcângelo, Les religieuses du Saint Archange

Synopsis

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 Britain 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 misdemeanours. The film ends with a resonant condemnation of the power hungry and corrupt church by Sister Julia after she has been found guilty and compelled to take poison to end her life.

Why Cult

Nunsploitation Heat

Sisterly devotion takes a backseat to lust, lesbian affairs, and forbidden trysts, all set within the cloistered shadows of a 16th-century Italian convent.

Power Struggle Drama

The battle for the position of Mother Superior is steeped in betrayal, manipulation, and deadly ambition as Sister Julia stops at nothing to claim the abbess’s throne.

Graphic Torture Scenes

This film doesn’t shy away from the brutal consequences of sin, serving up graphic torture and executions during the convent’s inquisition.

Italian Period Excess

The lavish set pieces and costumes bring the 1570s to lurid life, amplifying the film’s blend of historical drama and genre-bending provocation.

Trailer

Questions from the Vault

What is The Nun and the Devil about? +

The Nun and the Devil centers on the fierce struggle for power, sexual intrigue, and corruption among the nuns of a 16th-century Italian convent following the death of the Mother Superior.

When was The Nun and the Devil released? +

The Nun and the Devil was released in 1973.

Who directed The Nun and the Devil? +

The Nun and the Devil was directed by Domenico Paolella.

How long is The Nun and the Devil? +

The Nun and the Devil has a runtime of 100 minutes.

What genre is The Nun and the Devil? +

The Nun and the Devil is a drama and horror film.

Themes & Keywords

Female Nudity Female Topless Nudity Female Full Frontal Nudity Death Female Pubic Hair Lesbian Sex Bare Chested Male Lesbian Voyeur Torture Lust Escape Public Nudity Attempted Rape Priest Funeral