The Devils (1971)

In the volatile era of 17th-century France, a taut line of power and desire is spun in the fortified city of Loudun. At the heart of this political web is Father Urbain Grandier, a steadfast priest and the city's guardian, who becomes the target of Cardinal Richelieu's ambitious machinations. Hungry for absolute power, Richelieu and his entourage plot to dismantle Grandier's influence, painting an ominous picture of him as a warlock with a devil-possessed convent under his spell. The narrative tightens as the mother superior of the nunnery, a woman tormented by her own repressed desires, becomes obsessively infatuated with Grandier. Her intense yearning fuels the flames of hysteria sweeping through Loudun, fanning the charges of witchcraft against the unsuspecting priest. As this carefully orchestrated chaos unfolds, a zealous witch-hunter is summoned, eager to collect evidence for a trial that could alter the course of history. "The Devils" is a riveting journey into the shadowy corners of power and lust, where political ambition intertwines with repressed desire, and innocence is sacrificed on the altar of manipulation. It's a gripping tale that explores the cataclysmic consequences when faith and falsehood collide in a dance of deception.

The Devils is a drama movie featuring Oliver Reed.

The Devils is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.