Die Nonne von Verona

Intrigues in a 16th century Italian cloister near Verona lead to gruesome happenings. Sister Giulia, pretending to save the Mother Supreme from her sickness, is really trying to kill her in order to become Mother Supreme herself. The cardinal suspects something about sister Giulia's intrigues and raids the cloister, bringing all those who did wrong to trial...

This Italian nun movie may be called "exploitation", but it certainly offers an interesting view on some historic happenings and how it might have been back then. The film even claims to be based on a true story. Whether this is true or not, it probably isn't too far away from reality. There's not very much nudity or violence in this, so fans of sick exploitation films will probably be disappointed. Surprisingly well made, and watch out for a very young Ornella Muti in a supporting role.

If you follow the "nuns-ploitation" genre at all, uh, religiously (sorry) you know these films generally fall into three categories. First, are the films that are more or less serious and are meant to criticize the more or less real historical crimes of the Catholic Church. These include both the earliest films like "The Nun of St. Monza", but also some of the more violent and lurid 70's films like "Flavia, the Heretic" (a personal favorite of mine). Then there are the straight-out lesbian-nun sex romps like Walerian Borozyx "Behind Convent Walls" or Joe D'Amato's "Images from a Convent". Finally, there are the post-"Exorcist", mostly Hispanic films that veer into the supernatural and full-tilt delerium like Franco's "Love Letters of a Portugese Nun" or the Mexican neo-surrealist masterpiece "Alucarda".

This film falls mostly into the first catgerory, but it does veer a little bit into the second. The plot revolves around the campaign to choose a new Mother Superior for the Convent of St. Archangel. One Machiavellian sister (Anne Heywood) tries to get the edge on her two rivals, who have more wealthy and influential family connections on the outside, by slowly poisoning one and arranging for the other (Martine Brochard) to be caught with her male lover (which she easily manages since this bisexual nun is also HER lesbian lover). She also forms an alliance with an unscrupulous nobleman by promising to deliver her virginal niece (Ornella Muti) to him. All of these machinations eventually bring down the corrupt, patriarchal church authorities on the convent. Without giving away too much, the ending is both moralistic and extremely cynical with some evil character getting more than their just desserts while many other, even more wicked characters get off scot free.

This movie may disappoint somewhat as sexploitation. Martine Brochard has a lot of nudes scenes, but Anne Heywood's could best be described as subliminal. Perhaps most regrettably, Ornella Muti keeps her clothes on, even when the older nuns are "inspecting" her virginity. The two semi-official sequels to this, "Story of a Cloistered Nun" and "The Sinful Nuns of St. Valentine's", feature much more copious sex and nudity,including scenes of the young acolytes (Eleanora Giorgi and Jenny Tamburi respectively) getting very naked (and tied-up and whipped, etc.). But for the few fans of these films out there who AREN'T lecherous perverts, this one is probably the most realistic and hard-hitting of the trilogy. It's definitely worth seeing anyway.

Yet another Stendhal-inspired "Nunsploitationer" in the vein of THE NUN OF MONZA (1969) and ABBESS OF CASTRO (1974) – incidentally, MONZA's Anne Heywood dons the habit here as well, while Pier Paolo Capponi appears in all three (in this case, he is a lecherous nobleman). Actually, the film's German title translates to THE NUN OF VERONA: with this in mind, the absurd English moniker is utterly misleading…not to mention liable to confuse it with Jerzy Kawalerowicz' much superior THE DEVIL AND THE NUN aka MOTHER JOAN OF THE ANGELS (1961)! It emerges somewhat more plot-packed than usual, with several nuns being involved in illicit/corrupt business behind convent walls: apart from Heywood (who is more of a conspirator this time around and caps her performance with an effective diatribe at the obligatory trial followed by an excruciating death scene), these include Martine Brochard, Claudia Gravy (from the weird Spaghetti Western MATALO! [1970]) and Ornella Muti (most appealing when sporting short-cropped hair and masculine attire, her role is secondary but she carries it with aplomb). The Inquisition, then, is represented by a fanatical Luc Merenda (miscast) and Cardinal Claudio Gora. The oppressive medieval atmosphere is nicely caught (though the print I got hold of, featuring a reasonable English-dubbed track, is a bit too dark – furthermore, the split between its two parts irritatingly occurs in mid-sentence!) and, while the trademark nudity and violence are certainly there, these are not particularly explicit. In the long run, THE NUN AND THE DEVIL (which comedy/peplum exponent Paolella directed under the pseudonym Paolo Dominici!) is pretty solid as "Nunsploitation" films go.

THE NUN AND THE DEVIL, in spite of its sensationalized title, is a decent film about the corruption, greed, and treachery within a 16th Century convent, as well as the Church at large. When the Mother Superior dies, Mother Giulia (Anne Heywood) will stop at nothing to fill the position herself.

While the movie does contain some obligatory nudity, secret liaisons, and self-torture, it's mostly about the politics and competition between the religious devotees involved. The real gruesomeness is saved for the last act, when an inquisition does its work, and confessions are sought. Up until then, this is a fairly mild example of its subgenre.

So, don't expect rampant debauchery or wall-to-wall sadism, and prepare instead for a solid indictment of religious pomposity and hypocrisy. Mother Giulia's final speech is well worth the wait...

Le monache di Sant'Arcangelo" (1975), directed by Domenico Paolella, is a film that attempts to blend the sensuality of the nunsploitation genre with a historical drama. The film stars Anne Heywood, Ornella Muti, and Pier Paolo Capponi, among others, and follows the story of a convent in 16th-century Italy where the nuns struggle with their vows of chastity and obedience.

The film's strongest aspect is its visual appeal. The cinematography captures the opulence and beauty of the Italian Renaissance, with lavish sets and costumes that transport the viewer to another time and place. The performances of the lead actors are also noteworthy, particularly Anne Heywood as the conflicted Mother Superior and Ornella Muti as the rebellious young novice.

However, the film's narrative falls short of its visual promise. The storyline is convoluted and often feels disjointed, with a number of subplots that never quite come together. The exploration of themes such as sexual repression, religious hypocrisy, and political intrigue is ambitious, but the execution is often heavy-handed and melodramatic.

Moreover, the film's handling of its central theme - the struggle between spirituality and sensuality - is problematic. While it aims to critique the repressive nature of the Catholic Church, it often veers into exploitation territory, with gratuitous scenes of nudity and sexual violence that feel more exploitative than thought-provoking.

Overall, "Le monache di Sant'Arcangelo" is a film that offers some visual and performative pleasures, but ultimately fails to deliver a cohesive or thoughtful narrative.