Russell reaches for the same story as Kawalerowicz. "Diabły" in theaters after 55 years

In the small town of Loudun, accusations of possession become a powerful political tool, transforming personal desires into a public spectacle of violence. Ken Russell's adaptation draws from the same story as Kawalerowicz's "Mother Joanna of the Angels," presenting it as a blasphemous opera. Set in 17th-century France, Cardinal Richelieu consolidates power while Urbain Grandier, a defender of the city's independence, is targeted as a witch. Oliver Reed portrays Grandier with a charismatic physicality, revealing his gradual loss of confidence and dignity through suffering. Vanessa Redgrave's portrayal of the Ursuline superior adds a terrifying yet painfully human dimension to unfulfilled desire.