Sous le soleil de Satan (1987) - film review

1926, in a rural French village.  An inexperienced Catholic priest, Donissan, has doubts about his suitability for the priesthood.  He encounters Mouchette, a 16 year old girl who has recently murdered the marquis de Cadignan, one of her illicit lovers.  Donissan sees the Devil in Mouchette and taunts the young girl, who soon after kills herself.  It is the first step in Donissan’s painful journey towards grace...

Winner of the coveted Palme d’or at the 1987 Cannes film festival, Sous le soleil de satan is a film which, much like its director, Maurice Pialat, continues to arouse controversy and divide the critics.  Some regard the film as a masterpiece, an intensely spiritual film which tackles the complex themes of religious belief, redemption and divinity with remarkable lucidity and power.  Many others, however, take a different view, some dismissing it as emotionless, contrived and lacking both conviction and interest value.

It is certainly a very difficult film to sit through.  The film is heavy in dialogue, most of which consists of philosophical discussions which are quite difficult to follow.  As a result, the film lacks humanity and, to many, will appear pretentious, lumbering and unforgivably introspective.  For others, the intelligent dialogue will be spell-binding, particularly as it is accompanied by some fine performances, most notably from Depardieu and Bonnaire.

The film’s most memorable feature is the extraordinary photography, particularly the location scenes shot in rural France.  The raw barrenness of the setting provides an appropriate backdrop against which to set the inner torment of a priest searching to find meaning in his ministry.  Here at least the film displays an undeniable touch of genius.

© James Travers 2001

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