Les Sept péchés capitaux (1952)

Les Sept péchés capitaux is a French film comedy-drama first released in 1952, directed by Yves Allégret, Claude Autant-Lara, Eduardo De Filippo, Jean Dréville, Georges Lacombe, Carlo Rim and Roberto Rossellini.  The film stars Michèle Morgan, Françoise Rosay, Jean Debucourt, Louis Seigner and Marguerite Cassan.  It has also been released under the title: The Seven Deadly Sins.  Our overall rating for this film is: good.


A miser finally gets his just deserts (Avarice and Anger).  A mother attempts to educate her daughter on the pleasures of the flesh (Lust).  A haughty mother and daughter suffer a fall from grace (Pride). An artist’s mistress becomes jealous of his model and takes revenge which soon backfires (Envy).  A stranded motorist would rather eat cheese than seduce his host’s wife (Gluttony).

One of the most well-known and best of the "films à sketches" which became so popular in French cinema of the 1950s and 1960s, Les Sept Péchés Capitaux takes a typically Gallic view of the seven deadly sins, and even throws in an eighth sin for good measure.  It was directed by some of the leading film-makers of the day, including Yves Allégret  Claude Autant-Lara and Roberto Rossellini, whose differing styles jar somewhat but who nevertheless come up with some pleasing vignettes.  The film also stars some of fine acting talent, including such icons as Michèle Morgan, Gérard Philipe and Viviane Romance.

© James Travers 2002

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