Directed by: Walerian Borowczyk

Walerian Borowczyk's Behind Convent Walls destroys the myth of the convent being a place of serene reverence and abstinence as a Mother Superior desperately attempts, with little success, to prevent the nuns in her charge from sampling the sinful pleasures of the flesh. Frustrated by their seclusion, the nuns turn to lesbianism, masturbation and sexual experimentation until the Church is called in to exact cruel and sadistic measures in order to end the outrageous behaviour.

Not surprisingly, the tense conflict between the two parties in such a highly charged, erotic atmosphere leads to a dark and explosively dramatic climax. Loosely based on Stendhal's 'Promenades dans Rome', Behind Convent Walls takes the viewer on an erotic journey through an amazing repertoire of sexual behaviour; a journey that questions the very natures of morality and eroticism. As is always the case with Borowczyk, the film is stylishly shot and filled with astonishing images that will both shock and entrance. Uncut.

viewer's comments:

artistic, erotic, tragic

Borowsky's artistic, distinctively edgy pseudo-art erotic movie will appeal to all familiar with his work. The over-exposed light pours in through the windows and light up the stark, angular corridors, perfectly off-setting the naked female bodies on display. The plot is pretty mundane stuff - a mother superior has trouble keeping her naughty nuns from sins of the flesh (that's pretty much it). Although the weird subplots about stigmata and a nun who seems to believe Jesus slept with her in her sleep will please art-house fans like me. The film is set against a loud organ score (reminiscent of the art-house classic Last Year at Marienbad) and of course it all ends pretty tragically. This is a great little art-house film, although the acting is at times a little hokey (not helped by terrible dubbing) and it isn't exactly the biggest budget in the world. Ironically, given the film's exploitionist title, there isn't much here for softcore porn fans (a little female masterbation and 2 or 3 short (heterosexual) sex scenes) but fans of this kind of european arthouse should be more than happy.

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ligia Branice .... Sister Clara
Howard Ross .... Rodrigo Landriani
Marina Pierro .... Sister Veronica
Gabriella Giacobbe .... Abbess Flavia Orsini
Rodolfo Dal Pra .... Bishop
Loredana Martínez .... Sister Martina
Mario Maranzana .... Father Confessor
Alessandro Partexano .... Silva
Olivia Pascal
Gina Rovere
Dora Calindri
Francesca Balletta
Maria Cumani Quasimodo
Raymonde Carole Fouano
Miana Merini

Also Known As:
Behind Convent Walls (1977)
Sex Life in a Convent (1977)
Within a Cloister (1977) (USA: video title)
Runtime: 95 min
Country: Italy
Language: Italian with English subtitles
Color: Color