What Is The Devil and the Ten Commandments About?
The premise of The Devil and the Ten Commandments in 327 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a shadow‑dappled world where morality is examined one commandment at a time, the film unfolds as a series of seven connected vignettes. A subtle, devilish presence lingers behind each story, turning ordinary moments into uneasy reflections on guilt, desire, and redemption. The tone balances dark humor with reverent curiosity, inviting the audience to watch familiar sins ripple through everyday lives while the unseen tempter watches, almost amused.
At the heart of the first vignette is Jérôme Chambard, an elderly handyman whose casual blasphemy threatens his place in a quiet convent. His dilemma is softened by an unexpected encounter with the bishop, an old school friend whose unexpected mercy hints at the fragile line between judgment and compassion. Their interaction sets a rhythm that will echo through the film’s other tales, suggesting that even the most rigid institutions are not immune to human frailty.
The other segments introduce a small ensemble of characters each grappling with a different breach of the ancient laws. Françoise Beaufort finds herself drawn into a tangled web of desire and secrecy, while Denis Mayeux, a young novice, confronts the weight of family tragedy and the pull of vengeance. Pierre Messager, a medical student, is thrust into a revelation about his true parentage that forces him to weigh loyalty against curiosity. Didier Marin, a bank employee, experiences a sudden crisis that tests his composure and sense of fairness. Through these lives, the film sketches a mosaic of temptation, confession, and the quiet moments where conscience flickers.
All of these stories converge on a shared atmosphere of uneasy optimism, where humor softens the sting of transgression and the unseen devil purrs just out of sight. The film’s style is intimate yet slightly surreal, inviting viewers to linger on the ordinary details that become extraordinary under a moral microscope. In this way, the anthology becomes a meditation on how the smallest breaches can ripple outward, leaving a lingering sense of both vulnerability and unexpected connection.
What Happens in The Devil and the Ten Commandments?
The complete story of The Devil and the Ten Commandments, from the first scene to the last, in 576 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 14 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Episode 1 Jérôme Chambard, the elderly handyman at a convent, faces a stern warning: if he keeps taking the name of the Lord in vain, he will lose his job. His fate seems sealed until the visiting the bishop turns out to be an old school friend, sparing him from dismissal and setting a tone of unexpected mercy that threads through the rest of the stories.
Episode 2 To obtain a beautiful necklace, Françoise Beaufort yields to the allure of Philip Allan, the wealthy husband of her friend Micheline Allan. The temptation and secrecy around the jewelry ripple through the relationships, as Georges Beaufort, Georges Beaufort, discovers the hidden piece and ultimately hands it over to Micheline after a carefree afternoon together, reshaping loyalties and trust within the circle.
Episode 3 Denis Mayeux, a Jesuit novice, steps away from the order to avenge his sister’s suicide, a tragedy sparked by Garigny who lured her into prostitution and drug use. The police reveal that Garigny would face only a few years if convicted for pimping and trafficking. Denis plans to confront Garigny unarmed, but Garigny grabs a concealed shotgun and shoots him. In truth, Denis had already alerted the authorities, and Garigny is subsequently arrested for murder, closing a violent chapter with a measure of tragic justice.
Episode 4 A stranger claiming to be God arrives at a remote farm, and his presence catalyzes remarkable acts: he helps the paralyzed grandfather stand and eases the dying grandmother’s last moments. His benevolent intervention is short-lived, however, as psychiatric nurses searching for him close in, leaving questions about faith, healing, and the boundaries between miracle and manipulation. The enigmatic figure is portrayed by Dieu, while the grandfather is remembered by Le grand-père as a man who had long seemed helpless until this miraculous moment.
Episode 5 Pierre Messager, a nearly 21-year-old medical student, grows up under tense tension with his taciturn father Marcel Messager and sharp-tinned mother Germaine Messager. Out of the blue, Marcel reveals that Pierre’s real mother is Clarisse Ardan, a renowned stage actress, and Pierre’s visit to Clarisse after a rehearsal becomes a test of character. Clarisse flirtatiously questions sincerity while evading the truth, leaving Pierre to decide that his best path is to honor and support the parents who raised him, even as a complicated bond with Clarisse lingers in the background.
Episode 6 Didier Marin’s life at the bank shifts from routine to crisis as he is told to leave his post. When a gunman targets the counter, Didier fills the robber’s suitcase with money and tracks the thief to his apartment. After a tense confrontation, the two men decide to share the loot, only to discover that the case contains bread, wine, and a sausage instead of cash. The tramp who swapped the food for money is arrested, and Didier’s quick thinking paradoxically saves him from immediate peril, highlighting a day where luck, prudence, and a touch of absurdity intersect.
Episode 7 Returning to Episode 1’s events, Jérôme Chambard and the bishop share a long, well-lubricated lunch, but the bishop’s memory falters when it comes to the Ten Commandments. The humor and weariness of the moment underscore the episode’s recurring theme: human fallibility and the ways faith, humor, and vulnerability intersect in ordinary life, leaving a lasting sense of both fragility and connection across the convent, the church, and the wider circle of characters who drift in and out of each other’s lives.
The Devil and the Ten Commandments Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Jérôme warned for blasphemy; saved by bishop” to “Lunch scene with the bishop; memory lapse on commandments”. 5 events name a place, across 3 locations.
- 1
Jérôme warned for blasphemy; saved by bishop
Jérôme, the old handyman at the convent, is warned that he will lose his job if he continues to take the name of the Lord in vain. He fears the repercussions and the prospects of unemployment. A visiting bishop, who turns out to be an old school friend, intervenes and spares him from punishment.
Where:Convent
- 2
Françoise yields to wealth for a necklace; Georges passes it to Micheline
To obtain a beautiful necklace, Françoise succumbs to the advances of Philip, the wealthy husband of her friend Micheline. Her choice to chase luxury strains her relationships and moral compass. Later, Françoise's husband Georges discovers the hidden necklace and passes it along to Micheline after an ostensibly pleasant afternoon.
- 3
Denis leaves the Jesuit order to avenge his sister
Denis, a Jesuit novice, abandons the order to avenge his sister's suicide, which Garigny’s pimping had provoked. He believes that filing a formal complaint would be insufficient, so he sets out to confront Garigny himself. He is motivated by family loyalty and the desire to stop the pimp from harming others.
- 4
Denis plans confrontation; Garigny provides danger
Denis arranges to confront Garigny alone and unarmed, intending to inform the authorities. Garigny, anticipating trouble, grabs a concealed shotgun and ambushes him. The confrontation ends with Garigny fatally shooting Denis, even as Denis had already alerted the police.
- 5
Police arrest Garigny for murder
Despite Denis's death, the police begin pursuing Garigny for murder, having been alerted to the danger from Denis's actions. The arrest signals the legal response to Garigny's criminal involvement.
- 6
Stranger arrives at an isolated farm and claims to be God
A stranger arrives at an isolated farm and proclaims himself to be God. He revives the paralysed grandfather and eases the dying grandmother’s last moments. As he leaves, psychiatric nurses who have been seeking him spot him.
Where:Isolated farm
- 7
Pierre learns his real mother is Clarisse
Pierre, a medical student nearing his twenty-first birthday, discovers that his real mother is Clarisse, a noted stage actress. This revelation unsettles his identity and raises questions about the family he has known. He travels to Clarisse after a rehearsal to seek answers.
- 8
Clarisse seduces but evasive about his parentage
Clarisse initially tries to seduce the handsome young stranger during the reunion, using flirtation to complicate the truth. When told the reality about his parentage, she remains evasive and refuses to define their relationship. Pierre sees through her evasions and resolves to reassess his priorities.
- 9
Pierre resolves to be a good son
Realising Clarisse's unreliability, Pierre decides to focus on his adoptive parents who raised him. He resolves to be a good son and to honor the family that gave him stability. This shift marks a turning point in his personal growth.
- 10
Didier loses interest in his job; told to leave
Didier, a bank cashier, has lost interest in his job and is told he will be leaving at the end of the week. The looming unemployment weighs on him as he contemplates his future. The mounting pressure sets the stage for an unexpected turn of events.
Where:Bank
Show the other 5 events of The Devil and the Ten Commandments Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Gunman arrives; Didier stuffs the thief's suitcase with loot
A gunman appears at Didier's counter, and Didier improvises by filling the gunman's suitcase with notes and coins to safeguard some of the cash. The ruse buys time and creates a bargaining chip for later. The tension escalates as the thief pursues Didier.
Where:Bank
- 12
Didier tracks thief, breaks into apartment, recovers case
Didier tracks down the thief and breaks into his apartment to recover the case. A tense confrontation follows, and Didier manages to reclaim the loot. The episode highlights Didier's resourcefulness under pressure.
- 13
Thief and Didier agree to share the loot
The thief tracks Didier down, and after a lengthy argument, they decide to share the loot rather than fight over it. This uneasy agreement reflects the precarious ethics of the situation. What remains of the money is still uncertain.
- 14
Loot contains bread, wine, and sausage; tramp arrested
When they finally open the case, they discover it contains bread, wine, and a sausage instead of money. The substitution reveals a trickster's deception, and the tramp who swapped the lunch for the cash is arrested for theft.
- 15
Lunch scene with the bishop; memory lapse on commandments
From Episode 1, Jérôme and the bishop share a well-lubricated lunch together. Afterward, the bishop struggles to remember the Ten Commandments. The scene underscores the enduring bond between the two men and adds a note of humor to their relationship.
Where:Convent
Who Are the Main Characters in The Devil and the Ten Commandments?
17 characters, among them Jérôme Chambard (Michel Simon), Le évêque / The bishop (Troussemier) and Françoise Beaufort (Françoise Arnoul): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Jérôme Chambard (Michel Simon)
Played by Michel Simon
An elderly handyman at a convent who embodies quiet piety and stubborn humor. He fears taking the Lord's name in vain, but salvation comes when an old school friend—the bishop—visits and intervenes. His arc highlights mercy, humility, and the fragility of faith in everyday life.
- 🕊️ Faith
- 🧓 Elderly
- 🕍 Convent
- LÉ
Le évêque / The bishop (Troussemier)
Played by Lucien Baroux
A visiting bishop and old acquaintance who diffuses the tension around Jérôme and restores balance. He represents the ties between church authority and personal history. His presence anchors the episode’s moral tone.
- 🙏 Faith
- 🕰️ Authority
- 🕊️ Mercy
- FB
Françoise Beaufort (Françoise Arnoul)
Played by Françoise Arnoul
A young woman drawn to wealth and social prestige, who succumbs to temptation and disrupts her circle. Her actions trigger a chain of exchanges that tests loyalties among friends and spouses. She embodies flirtation with danger and the costs of desire.
- 💃 Temptation
- 💎 Wealth
- 🎭 Society
- MA
Micheline Allan (Micheline Presle)
Played by Micheline Presle
Friend of Françoise and wife of Philip Allan. She becomes the recipient of the necklace, highlighting issues of trust and social competition. Her place in the story underscores how appearances can mask moral choices.
- 👰 Marriage
- 🛍️ Wealth
- 👗 Fashion
-
Philip Allan (Mel Ferrer)
Played by Mel Ferrer
Wealthy husband whose presence fuels the episode’s deception and material temptations. He wields money as a tool for power and seduction. His actions catalyze the moral test faced by Françoise.
- 💰 Wealth
- 🕴️ Social status
- 🃏 Deception
- GB
Georges Beaufort (Claude Dauphin)
Played by Claude Dauphin
Husband of Françoise who uncovers the hidden necklace and passes it to Micheline, becoming a catalyst for the ensuing moral misdirection. His practical, steady demeanor contrasts with the others’ impulsiveness.
- 💼 Responsibility
- 🧭 Judgment
- 🕵️♂️ Interference
- CA
Clarisse Ardan (Danielle Darrieux)
Played by Danielle Darrieux
A renowned stage actress and Pierre’s mother figure. She alternates between flirtation and evasiveness, complicating family dynamics as Pierre learns about his origins. Her artistic persona masks vulnerability and ambiguity.
- 🎭 Arts
- 👩👧 Family
- 💋 Seduction
-
Pierre Messager (Alain Delon)
Played by Alain Delon
A nearly 21-year-old medical student navigating a tense home life and a revelation about his birth mother. He resolves to be a good son and redefine his future in the wake of family secrets.
- 🎓 Education
- 🧭 Identity
- 👪 Family
- MM
Marcel Messager (Georges Wilson)
Played by Georges Wilson
Pierre’s taciturn father, whose relationship with his son/stepfamily reveals strain and generational conflict. He upholds practical values but also carries an undercurrent of affection.
- 🧭 Family
- 🗣️ Tension
- 👔 Society
- GM
Germaine Messager (Madeleine Robinson)
Played by Madeleine Robinson
Pierre’s mother figure, whose stern yet caring presence underpins the family dynamics. Her behavior hints at resilience in the face of upheaval and mystery.
- 👩👦 Family
- 🛡️ Protection
- 💬 Conversation
- DM
Denis Mayeux (Charles Aznavour)
Played by Charles Aznavour
A Jesuit novice who abandons the order to seek vengeance for his sister’s suicide, only to meet a fatal end. His actions illuminate themes of sacrifice, justice, and the consequences of violence.
- ⚔️ Revenge
- ⛪ Faith
- 🗡️ Sacrifice
- G(
Garigny (Lino Ventura)
Played by Lino Ventura
A dangerous pimp whose predatory actions drive Denis to confrontation. His downfall comes through a police intervention, underscoring risks of crime and the fragility of power.
- 💀 Crime
- 🕳️ Danger
- 🔍 Investigation
- TG
The Grandfather (Gaston Modot)
Played by Gaston Modot
An elderly man who pretends to be paralyzed, later revealed to be more cunning. His role interacts with the God-figure episode and the lines between gullibility and deception.
- 👴 Age
- 🌀 Trickery
- 🪶 Wisdom
- LP
Le Père supérieur (Maurice Teynac)
Played by Maurice Teynac
A Father Superior, representing religious authority and order within the convent setting. He embodies institutional moral framework and pastoral guidance.
- ⛪ Religion
- 🗂️ Authority
- 🕊️ Mercy
- DM
Didier Marin (Jean-Claude Brialy)
Played by Jean-Claude Brialy
A bank cashier who battles a thief, symbols of everyday virtue in modern life. He improvises to recover the stolen money, reflecting values like honesty and perseverance.
- 🏦 Cashier
- 🧭 Integrity
- 🥖 Improvisation
- T(
Tania (Dany Saval)
Played by Dany Saval
A companion character adding to the mosaic of relationships and temptations in the story. Her presence highlights social dynamics and flirtation within the ensemble.
- 👗 Social life
- 🕊️ Relationship
- 🎭 Performance
- TD
The Devil / God (Claude Rich)
Played by Claude Rich
The narrative’s temptor and narrator’s other voice, embodying the moral testing present throughout the episodes.
- 😈 Temptation
- 🗝️ Mystery
- 🗺️ Fate
Where and When Is The Devil and the Ten Commandments Set?
The Devil and the Ten Commandments is set in Convent, Isolated farm, Bank and Theater. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Convent, Isolated farm, Bank, Theater
The story unfolds across several distinct locations. A quiet convent frames Jérôme’s world, while an isolated farm hosts the God-like stranger. A modern bank drives one episode’s plot, and a theater rehearsal room anchors scenes around Clarisse and Pierre. The shifts between sacred, rural, urban, and performance spaces emphasize the film’s mix of morality, temptation, and revelation.
- 🕊️ Convent
- 🌾 Isolated farm
- 🏦 Bank
- 🎭 Theater
What Are the Themes of The Devil and the Ten Commandments?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Morality, Faith and Identity.
-
01
Morality
The episodes repeatedly test characters against ethical boundaries, showing how desire for wealth, status, or advantage can tempt virtue. Choices about honesty, fidelity, and responsibility ripple across families and communities. The stories use coincidence, seduction, and deception to probe what people owe to others and to themselves.
-
02
Faith
Religious imagery and miracles appear alongside skepticism, most notably in the God-like stranger episode. Characters grapple with belief, doubt, and the limits of divine sanction. The series juxtaposes pious rituals with moral ambiguity, asking what faith requires when confronted with real-world temptation.
-
03
Identity
Family history and hidden origins surface as Pierre learns his true mother is Clarisse, provoking a reevaluation of belonging. The show toys with personas—actors, conmen, and saints—blurring lines between performance and truth. Characters decide who they are by how they respond to revelations about themselves and others.
-
04
Consequences
Actions from seduction to violence trigger investigations, arrests, and reckonings. The grim results of each episode linger, reminding viewers that even seemingly trivial choices can alter lives. Justice in these tales arrives through chance, punishment, or the truth coming to light.
What Kind of Film Is The Devil and the Ten Commandments?
Whimsical in tone, with variable pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Whimsical
- Pacing
- Variable
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Mixed
A whimsical and episodic morality play that uses dark humor and satirical warmth to explore human fallibility, mixing tragic moments with absurd twists and a playful, forgiving tone.
- satirical
- playful
- contemplative
- absurdist
- moralistic
- varied
- religious satire
- sketch comedy
- temptation
- revenge
Content notes: suicide, prostitution, drug use, murder.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Devil and the Ten Commandments? Test yourself on the story.
