The Seven Deadly Sins

This film should not be confused with another made with the same title, 10 years later with only French directors including Godard, Chabrol, et al. The 1952 film is also an anthology film with several French directors plus the great Italian director Roberto Rossellini contributing to one of the 7 (or 8) sins discussed in the film--Envy.

Rossellini's film segment is based on the work of a French writer Colette titled "Cat" and this segment is far superior to the other "sin" segments made by the French directors. Here a woman envies a cat who gets more attention from her husband than she gets from him!

The second best segment in the 1952 film is on "Pride" directed by Claude Autant-Lara with the beautiful Michelle Morgan as the young lady, once rich, living in poverty. The script is by the director and has a stunning end.

The shortest segment is on "Gluttony," directed by a little known French director Carlo Rim, which has and amusing yet surprising end.

The segment on "Avarice and Anger" opens the film and makes the viewer attentive enough to anticipate and watch the rest of the film. This segment is an above average morality play directed by Eduardo de Filippo.

The segments on "Lust" (directed by Yves Allegret) and "The Eighth Sin" (directed by Georges Lacombe) are at best average. But the wooden spoon goes to the segment on "Sloth" (directed by Jean Dreville), which is incredibly poor in quality.