MovieChat Forums > The Devils (1971) Discussion > What do Protestants think of this film?

What do Protestants think of this film?

posted 11 years ago by giona
4 replies | jump to latest

I am a Roman Catholic from Italy who has seen this film after reading Huxley's novel. My opinion of what really happened in Loudun in 1634 is a bit different from the screenwriter's, but this is not the point. I have found the film hypercritical towards the Catholic Church and its teachings on demonic possession. I am not criticizing this fact; I am only curious on which are the reactions of Protestants (also Anglicans - we Catholics in Italy regard them as Protestants) to this film. For example, I think they could be sympathetic with Grandier's view on celibacy.

[–] muzilon 11 years ago

I am neither Catholic nor Protestant (thank god) but according to Ken Russell's obit in the New York Times he was actually a practising Catholic at the time he made The Devils and he saw the film as an attack on church-state corruption rather than an attack on Catholicism itself: http://tinyurl.com/7nhp93s

[–] molarmaven59 10 years ago

Ken Russel is not myopic.

He knew very well, as a director, a story teller, just how badly he was mocking the Catholic Church.

What Mr. Russell getting even with a sister for making you stand in a corner?

[–] Charlot47 10 years ago

Replying first to the original post, I think that in Western Europe of the 1600s as well as its colonies in the Americas the themes of this film were more or less the norm.

Kings sought to reduce local privileges and impose religious conformity, often by coercion (the Spanish Inquisition was in full force!). Among educated people, some questioned the dogmas of Christianity while others adopted extreme forms. Belief in demonic possession was widespread.

These trends were found in both Catholic and Protestant countries. For example, Anglican England and Calvinist Scotland may have abolished convents and priestly celibacy but still persecuted and executed alleged witches.

As for the treatment of Catholicism in this film, was the church in which Russell grew up very like that in France in the 1630s? Will a Catholic go to hell for having a moment’s doubt about the wisdom of his co-religionists in the past?

[–] PassTheSeason 10 years ago

I actually just came back from a screening of The Devils, where Ken's late wife Lisi and a good friend of his (who we call Other Ken) both explained that Ken Russell wasn't trying to mock the Catholic Church. The film is a mixture of Vietnam allegory and criticism of church-state corruption. Considering that neither of those people is in any position to defend the Catholic Church, I think it's safe to assume they were telling the truth.