The Devil and the Ten Commandments (1962) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

An anthology of moral reversals explores guilt, temptation, revenge, faith, deception, and the unpredictable consequences of human choices.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

Warnings And Temptations

The opening stories contrast a threatened convent worker with a chain of romantic temptation surrounding a valuable necklace. Personal weakness produces both danger and an unexpected act of generosity.

Key Events

• Handyman Receives Warning — An old handyman is warned that he may lose his job for taking the Lord's name in vain. Location: Convent
• Bishop Recognizes Old Friend — A visiting bishop recognizes the threatened handyman as an old school friend. Location: Convent
• Job Is Preserved — The old friendship saves the handyman from losing his position. Location: Convent
• Necklace Tempts Françoise — Desire for a beautiful necklace leads a woman toward an affair with her friend's wealthy husband. Location: Social setting
• Necklace Is Hidden — The necklace is hidden after the affair. Location: Married couple's home
• Gift Reverses Betrayal — The woman's husband finds the necklace and gives it to her friend after a pleasant afternoon. Location: Married couple's home

Vengeance And Retribution

A former religious novice abandons his order to avenge his sister. His secret weapon turns the confrontation into a fatal trap, while prior police notification ensures the shooter's arrest.

Key Events

• Novice Leaves Order — A Jesuit novice leaves the order to avenge his sister's suicide. Location: Religious order
• Sister's Exploitation Revealed — The novice learns that his sister was driven into prostitution and drug addiction. Location: Police station
• Justice Seems Inadequate — Police explain that a conviction for pimping and dealing would bring only a limited sentence. Location: Police station
• Secret Shotgun Prepared — The avenger arranges an apparently unarmed confrontation while secretly carrying a shotgun. Location: Isolated meeting place
• Confrontation Ends In Death — The target grabs the concealed gun and shoots the avenger dead. Location: Isolated meeting place
• Murder Arrest Follows — The police arrest the shooter for murder because the victim had already alerted them. Location: Isolated meeting place

The Stranger At The Farm

A mysterious stranger claiming to be God visits an isolated farm. He restores a pretended invalid's mobility, comforts a dying woman, and is finally located by psychiatric nurses.

Key Events

• Stranger Claims Divinity — A stranger arrives at an isolated farm and says that he is God. Characters: Dieu / God Location: Isolated farm
• Paralysis Is Exposed — The stranger gets the grandfather, who had pretended to be paralyzed, out of his chair and walking. Characters: Dieu / God Location: Isolated farm
• Final Moments Are Eased — The stranger eases the last moments of the dying grandmother. Characters: Dieu / God Location: Isolated farm
• Nurses Find The Stranger — Psychiatric nurses who have been searching for the stranger find him as he leaves. Characters: Dieu / God Location: Road outside the farm

The Empty Suitcase

A dissatisfied bank cashier becomes entangled in a robbery and pursues the thief. Their apparent bargain collapses into absurdity when the suitcase contains food rather than money.

Key Events

• Bank Cashier Faces Dismissal — A dissatisfied bank cashier is told to leave his job at the end of the week. Location: Bank
• Cashier Fills Suitcase — When a gunman appears, the cashier fills the gunman's suitcase with banknotes and coins. Location: Bank
• Stolen Case Recovered — The cashier tracks down the thief, breaks into his apartment, and recovers the case. Location: Thief's apartment
• Loot Sharing Agreement — After a long argument, the cashier and thief agree to share the apparent loot. Location: Thief's apartment
• Lunch Replaces Money — The case contains bread, wine, and sausage because a tramp substituted his lunch for the money. Location: Thief's apartment
• Tramp Is Arrested — The tramp is arrested for the theft after the unexpected substitution is discovered. Location: Unspecified police custody

Story Breakdown

• Convent Mercy — A threatened worker escapes punishment through a long-standing personal connection.
  • Blasphemy Warning — The convent handyman risks losing his job for taking the Lord's name in vain.
  • Friendship Saves Employment — The visiting bishop recognizes him as an old school friend and saves his position.
• Necklace Temptation — A valuable object contributes to adultery, concealment, and an unexpected redirection of guilt.
  • Wealthy Seduction — Desire for a beautiful necklace leads to an affair with a friend's husband.
  • Unexpected Gift — The hidden necklace is found and given to the betrayed woman's friend.
• Vengeful Departure — A religious novice leaves his order after learning how his sister was exploited.
  • Sister's Ruin — The sister's suicide is connected to prostitution and drug addiction.
  • Order Abandoned — The novice abandons religious life to pursue personal revenge.
• Fatal Justice — A planned confrontation produces death but also a legally secured arrest.
  • Concealed Shotgun — The avenger secretly brings a shotgun to an apparently unarmed meeting.
  • Murder Arrest — The shooter is arrested because the victim had already contacted the police.
• Farm Revelation — A stranger claiming divinity brings temporary relief to an isolated family before being found.
  • Pretended Paralysis — The stranger gets a supposedly paralyzed grandfather out of his chair and walking.
  • Dying Comfort — He eases the last moments of the dying grandmother before leaving the farm.
• Banknote Farce — A cashier's response to a robbery becomes an absurd dispute over apparently stolen wealth.
  • Recovered Suitcase — The cashier tracks down the thief and recovers the suitcase.
  • Lunch Instead Of Loot — The suitcase contains bread, wine, and sausage after a tramp substitutes his lunch for money.

Directed by

Julien Duvivier

Key Cast

• Claude Rich — Le diable - Voix Off (non crédité)
• Françoise Arnoul — Françoise Beaufort
• Charles Aznavour — Denis Mayeux
• Jean-Claude Brialy — Didier Marin
• Danielle Darrieux — Clarisse Ardan